초록
The electrical properties of the praseodymium-based ZnO varistor ceramics, which are composed of Zn-Pr-Co-Cr-Dy oxides were investigated with $Dy_2O_3$ amount. The average grain size of varistor ceramics was greatly decreased from 18.2 to 4.6 pm with increasing $Dy_2O_3$ amount. The calculated nonlinear exponent$({\alpha})$ in varistor ceramics without $DY_2O_3$ was only 4.9, whereas the a value of the varistors with $DY_2O_3$ was abruptly increased in the range of 48.8 to 58.6. In particular, the maximum value of a was obtained by doping of 1.0 mol% $DY_2O_3$, reaching 58.6. The measured leakage current$(I_l)$ value in varistors without $DY_2O_3$ was $85.45{\mu}A$, whereas the $I_{\ell}$ value of the varistors with $DY_2O_3$ was very abruptly decreased in the range of 1.10 to $0.12{\mu}A$. In particular, the minimum value of $I_{\ell}$ was obtained by doping of 0.5 mol% $DY_2O_3$, reaching $0.12{\mu}A$. The tan $\delta$ varied in V-shape, with minimum 2.28% at 0.5 mol% $DY_2O_3$. The donor concentration and the density of interface states were decreased in the range of $(4.66{\sim}0.25){\times}10^{18}cm^3$ and $(5.70{\sim}1.39){\times}10^{12}/cm^2$, respectively, as $DY_2O_3$ amount is increased.