Electrical investigations in the normal and incommensurate phases of [N(CH3)4]2ZnCl4 single crystals Original Research Article

The dielectric permittivity (ϵ) of TMA-ZC single crystals was measured along the mean crystallographic axes a, b and c, in a temperature range from 273 to 340 K. The ϵ-T relationship exhibited peak values at Ti=296 K and Tc1=279 K for the three axes. These peaks are attributed to the contribution of discommensurations. The d.c. and a.c. electrical conductivity showed anomalous variation at the same transition temperatures, with a remarkable change in the value of the activation energy around the transition temperatures. The j-E characteristic indicates different types of electrical conduction. The mechanism of the phase transition and the electrical process were discussed on the basis of Shottky and Frenkel conduction mechanisms.