Electrical conductivity of molybdenum phosphate (MoO3 : P2O5) glasses

The dc conductivity of molybdenum phosphate glasses with the batch composit ion [(MoO3)(z)(P2O5)(z-1)] where z = 0.55, 0.60, 0.65, 0.70, and 0.75 has b een studied. The non-linearity of the Arrhenius plot (ln(sigma) versus T-1) may be due to processes involving several similar activation energies, con duction by small polarons, or variable range hopping of carriers. The elect rical conductivity results for these glasses have been discussed by applyin g the two models suggested by Meunier et al. and it has been found that the use of the small polaron model yields physically plausible values for W-H and W-D within experimental error. (C) 2000 Kluwer Academic Publishers.