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A model of non-Ohmic conduction in ZnO varistors

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Abstract

A simple phenomenological approach to non-Ohmic conduction in zinc oxide based varistors is suggested. The decrease of the barrier height on voltage is considered as a reason of varistor effect. This model gives the relationship between the current density j and the average electric field E in the form \( j=\sigma _0 E\,\exp(\alpha E) \), where the nonlinearity factor α is proportional to the rate of change of the barrier height on voltage \( \alpha \propto (-\hbox{d}\varphi/\hbox{d}U) \). The nonlinearity factor α or the normalized nonlinearity coefficient \( \beta _E = \beta /E_1 \cong \alpha \) (E 1 is the electric field at fixed current density) can be used instead of the traditional but empirical nonlinearity coefficient \( \beta =(E/j)(\hbox{d}j/\hbox{d}E) \). Fairly reasonable agreement between suggested model and experimental results is found.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Science and Technology Council (CONACYT), Mexico under the project SEP-2003-C02–42821.

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  1. División de Estudios de Posgrado, Universidad Tecnológica de la Mixteca, Huajuapan de León, Oaxaca, 69000, México

    A. B. Glot

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Correspondence to A. B. Glot.

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On leave from Dniepropetrovsk National University, Dniepropetrovsk, Ukraine; Fax: +52-953-5320214, ext. 106

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Glot, A.B. A model of non-Ohmic conduction in ZnO varistors. J Mater Sci: Mater Electron 17, 755–765 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10854-006-0019-y

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