Percolation effects in the capacitive properties of metal-oxide varistors in the range of high voltage

Abstract

C–V characteristics of ZnO -based ceramic structures used in manufacturing high-voltage and low-voltage varistors of different chemical compositions and manufacturing techniques have been investigated. A correlation between the intensity of electric field corresponding to transition of the C–V characteristics to the negative capacitances and average sizes of grains of a varistor structure has been established. Obtained data have been interpreted with the use of notions of the percolation theory of electric conductivity. The Shklovskii–De Gennes model has been used. It has been shown that on the highly nonlinear segment of C–V characteristics of a varistor structure, the size of an infinite cluster are limited to several intercrystallite potential barriers. This result is observed in all kinds of investigated varistor ceramics.