Growth, Thermogravimetric Characterization, and Electrical Properties of LiCu3O3 Single Crystals

Abstract—: Platelike LiCu3O3 single crystals up to 2 × 8 × 8 mm in dimensions have been grown by slowly cooling (1 – x)Li2O ∙ xCuO (x = 0.88–0.92) melts and characterized by thermogravimetry and electrical measurements. We have determined the temperature stability range of LiCu3O3 (750 to ~1000°C) and measured the dc and ac (0.1–100 kHz) resistivity of the crystals as a function of temperature in the temperature range 10–295 K. The results demonstrate that, in the temperature range 45–295 K, the conduction mechanism in LiCu3O3 crystals is hopping between nearest neighbors with the participation of small polarons and that the electrical conductivity of the crystals is a nonlinear function of electric field. © 2019, Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.