Electrical properties of germanium oxide with α-quartz structure prepared by chemical precipitation

Germanium dioxide (GeO2) crystals were prepared by a chemical precipitation method at a relatively low-temperature (100 °C). The structure and electrical properties of the grown GeO2 crystals were evaluated. GeO2 crystals exhibit α-quartz type crystal structure with lattice parameters: a = 4.987(4) Å and c = 5.652(5) Å. DC conductivity variation measured in the temperature range of 120–300 K reveals the dielectric behavior of the GeO2 crystals. The temperature dependent electrical conductivity curves exhibit two distinct regions indicative of two different types of electrical transport mechanisms. Analysis of the conductivity indicates that the small polaron and variable-range-hopping mechanisms are operative in 180–300 K and 120–180 K temperature regions, respectively.