Studies on structural and dielectric properties of Na1/2Dy1/2TiO3 ceramic

The polycrystalline sample of Na1/2Dy1/2TiO3 ceramic was prepared by a standard high-temperature solid-state reaction technique. X-ray structural analysis confirmed the formation of single-phase (with minor secondary phase) compound in the orthorhombic (distorted tetragonal) crystal system at room temperature. Study of surface morphology by scanning electron microscope exhibits uniform distribution of rectangular/cubical grains with less voids. The elemental composition of the prepared compound was confirmed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis. Detailed studies of dielectric properties exhibit a dielectric anomaly at 94 °C suggesting a possible ferroelectric–paraelectric phase transition in the compound. The activation energy (Ea), calculated from the temperature dependence of ac conductivity plot, was found to be small (∼0.1 eV) in low temperature and large (∼0.5 eV) in high temperature region.