Dependence of ac Conductivity on Temperature and Frequency in Cerium(III) Nitrate Crystal

Ac conductivity spectra from 20 Hz to 1 MHz along thecaxis of a cerium(III) nitrate hexahydrate Ce(NO3)3·6H2O crystal and perpendicular to it were measured at temperatures from room temperature (RT) to 10 K. A metastable phase was found from RT to about 223 K. A peak was found in the conductivity near 130 K perpendicular to thecaxis. The behavior of the conductivity is dependent on the crystal direction but independent of the measuring run.