Dc Electrical-resistivity of Nb-doped Batio3 and Epr Measurements

DC electrical resistivity measurements along the c-axis of Nb-doped BaTiO3 single crystals are presented in a wide range of temperature, covering the four phases, with special attention to the rhomboedral one. The temperature dependence of the conductivity leads to convincing arguments in favour of a polaronic mechanism. Below the orthorhombic-rhomboedral transition point, a strong increase of the resistivity is observed. The correlation of this behavior with EPR analysis in the same temperature range, is consistent with a sharp trapping of the ''free'' electrons, when the temperature decreases.