Abstract
The DC electrical conductivity (
σ) along the
a- and
c-axes and the pyroelectric coefficient (
p) along the pyroelectric
c-axis of lithium–potassium sulphate (LKS) single crystal are measured in the temperature range 300–950
K. The measurements of
σ show anomalous behaviour at the transition point around 705
K. The
σ–
T relationship reveals an activation energy of conduction along the
c-axis of 0.85
eV above and 0.37
eV below the transition temperature, respectively. The effect of thermal recycling on the electric conduction is discussed. A maximum signal at about 720
K and a variation in the sign of
p at about 704
K have been observed. The phase transition reported in the literature at 333
K was not confirmed by our measurements. The current density (
J) is measured as a function of the applied electric field (
E) below and above the phase transition temperature along the
c- and
a-axes in order to estimate the type of conduction dominated and the effect of
E upon the conductivity measurements of this crystal.