Abstract
•We have synthesized some novel third-generation (i.e., quaternary glasses).•Thermally activated a.c./d.c. conduction has been studied at low temperatures.•Results are important to develop novel electronic materials for energy applications.•Metal-induced effects of silver may be helpful for the synthesis of ChGs based novel electronic devices.•Observed the Mott's variable range hopping conduction aa a dominant conduction mechanism at low temperatures.
The aim of the present work is devoted towards the inspection of the incorporation of silver impurity on electric/dielectric properties in a novel third-generation glassy system at low temperatures. For electrical characterization, the temperature and frequency have been chosen in the range 170 K to 285 K and 800 Hz to 500 kHz, respectively. The investigation of the results indicates the relevance of modeling proposed by Austin-Mott for thermally governed a.c. conduction. However, the relevance of Mott's formalism of variable range hopping (VRH) is observed for d.c. conduction at temperatures below the room temperature. Various electrical parameters like the activation energies and pre-factors of electrical conductivity σ corresponding to d.c./a.c. conduction, the number of charged defects levels per unit volume N(EF), energy values of trapping levels, and the potential barrier energy have been evaluated and examined. The dependence of the calculated parameters upon glassy compositions has been explained by using constraint theory.