A study is reported of the temperature and frequency dependences of the per
mittivity and losses in Cr-doped Bi12SiO20 crystals at sonic frequencies an
d in the range 300-800 K. A number of dielectric anomalies and a close-to-l
inear Cole-Cole diagram have been observed. The results are discussed by in
voking the concepts of electron hopping and screening of the induced polari
zation through the relaxation of local lattice distortions. (C) 2000 MAIK "
Nauka/Interperiodica".