Increase in the Fluorine-Ion Conductivity of Single Crystals of Tysonite-type CeF{sub 3} Superionic Conductor by Substituting Polarized Cd{sup 2+} Ions for Ce{sup 3+} Ions
The fluorine-ion conductivity of single crystals with a tysonite (LaF{sub 3}) structure with heterovalent isomorphic substitutions of highly polarizable Cd{sup 2+} cations with a 18-electron shell for rare earth ions Ce{sup 3+} have been studied for the first time. Ce{sub 0.995}Cd{sub 0.005}F{sub 2.995} single crystals have been grown from melt by the Bridgman technique in a fluorinating atmosphere. The fluorine-ion conductivity of single crystal is measured by impedance spectroscopy in the temperature range from 153 to 1073 K, where it increases by a factor of 10{sup 9}, approaching the value σ{sub dc} = 5 × 10{sup –2} S/cm at 1073 K. At T{sub 0} = 450 ± 20 K, the dependence σ{sub dc}(T) is split into two portions with the ion-transport activation enthalpy ΔH{sub σ} = 0.39 ± 0.01 eV (T < T{sub 0}) and ΔH{sub σ} = 0.23 ± 0.02 eV (T > T0). It is found that at T = 293 K the conductivity σ{sub dc} = 3 × 10{sup –5} S/cm of Ce{sub 0.995}Cd{sub 0.005}F{sub 2.995} crystal is higher by a factor of 10 than the conductivity of the tysonite matrix CeF{sub 3} and close to the σ{sub dc} value for Ce{sub 0.995}Sr{sub 0.005}F{sub 2.995} crystal. This finding indicates a significant effect of the substitutions of Cd{sup 2+} ions for Ce{sup 3+} on the σdc value and the advantage of Cd{sup 2+} ions over Ca{sup 2+} and Ba{sup 2+} from the viewpoint of increasing σ{sub dc}.