D.c. conductivity and hopping mechanism in Bi₂O₃-B₂O₃ glasses

Abstract

The physical and transport properties of semiconducting glasses are highly interesting, providing useful information regarding the structure and conduction mechanism, respectively. The physical and transport properties such as density, number of ions per unit volume, hopping distance, polaron radius, d,c. conductivity and activation energy are reported. Similarly the hopping conduction mechanism is examined. The physical property (density) is used to determine the probable structure of the glass sample. The small polaron hopping model is applied to the glass system. The methods of examining the hopping conduction mechanism are discussed in the light of the small polaron model. The methods suggested by Holstein and by Sayer and Mansingh are applied to the determination of adiabatic or non-adiabatic hopping conduction. It was observed that in this system adiabatic hopping conduction is present.