AC Conductivity in the Antiferromagnetic Insulating Phase of the V2O3 System

Measurements of the DC conductivity over more than five orders of magnitude and AC impedance over 5 Hz–13 MHz have been performed on V2O3 and Cr-doped V2O3 undergoing the antiferromagnetic insulator–paramagnetic metal phase transition. The governing factor in the explanation of the experimental results is creation of cracks during the phase transition. The electrical characteristics are interpreted in terms of the formation of metallic filaments in the insulating antiferromagnetic matrix beyond a critical frequency in applied power.