Ionic conduction and effect of cation doping in Tl₄HgI₆

Abstract

The ionic conduction properties of undoped and doped Tl₄HgI₆ were investigated using electrical conductivity, dielectrics, differential scanning calorimetry, and X-ray diffraction techniques. The heavy Tl⁺-ions diffusion was activated at high temperature, whereas low conductivity at the lower temperature suggested electronic contribution in undoped Tl₄HgI₆. The partial replacement of heavy Tl⁺ ion by suitable cations (Ag⁺ and Cu⁺) enhanced the conductivity by several orders of magnitude, whereas diminution in conductivity results with increasing dopants’ concentration in Tl₄HgI₆. These results can be interpreted in terms of a lattice contraction and vacancy–vacancy interaction (leading to the cluster formation), respectively. The dielectric values of undoped Tl₄HgI₆ system gradually increasing with temperature, followed by a sharp change, were observed around 385 K and can be explained on the basis of increasing number of space charge polarization and ions jump orientation effects. The activation energy of undoped and doped Tl₄HgI₆ systems were calculated, and it was found that ionic conductivity activation energy for 5 mol% of cation dopants is much lower than that of undoped one, and also 10 mol% doped Tl₄HgI₆ systems.