Electrical Conduction in Some Nickelates
This paper reports electrical conductivity (s) and Seebeck coefficient (s) study on rare-earth nickelates RNiO3 where R = Nd, Sm and Eu in the temperature range 400-1200 K. They have orthorhombic unit cell. The majority charge carriers are holes throughout the measurement. Both s and S variations show three regions. In higher temperature region (Above 1000K) dominant conduction mechanism is intrisic band type whereas below this temperature, hopping of holes from Ni3+ to Ni2+ centres takes place. In lower temperature region, the electrical conductions is taken over by acceptor type impurities. The conduction mechanism is explained on the basis of every band model. Break temperatures as well as mobility have also been evaluated.