Grain orientation dependence of the PTCR effect in niobium-doped barium titanate

The positive temperature coefficient of resistivity (PTCR) effect is directly measured in single grain boundaries in 0.1-mol%-Nb-doped BaTiO₃ with 1 mm coarse grains. The PTCR effect largely depends on grain boundary structure. Random grain boundaries exhibit the PTCR effect as in polycrystalline samples, but the PTCR effect does not appear in highly coherent boundaries such as small-angle boundaries, twin boundaries, and coincidence site lattice (CSL) boundaries with low ∑ values. For ∑= 3 boundaries, the resistance increase above the Curie temperature is a function of deviation angle. A small PTCR effect is observed in ∑ = 3 boundaries with a deviation angle of about 9° in contrast with ideal ∑ = 3 boundaries and boundaries with a deviation of about 4°.