Dielectric and conductivity behaviors of nano ZnO doped polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites for various concentrations of dopant were investigated using impedance spectroscopy for a wide range of temperatures (303 K–423 K) and frequencies (5 Hz–30 MHZ). The dielectric properties of host polymer matrix have been improved by the addition of nano ZnO and are found to be highly temperature dependent. Anomalous dielectric behavior was observed in the frequency range of 2.5 MHz–5 MHz. Increase in dielectric permittivity and dielectric loss was observed with respect to temperature. The Cole-Cole plot could be modeled by low resistance regions in a high resistance matrix and the lowest resistance was observed for the 10 mol. % films. The imaginary part of the electric modulus showed asymmetric peaks with the relaxation following Debye nature below and non-Debye nature above the peaks. The ac conductivity is found to obey Jonscher's power law, whereas the variation of dc conductivity with temperature was found to follow Arrhenius behavior. Two different activation energy values were obtained from Arrhenius plot indicating that two conduction mechanisms are involved in the composite films. Fitting the ac conductivity data to Jonscher's law indicates that large polaron assisted tunneling is the most likely conduction mechanism in the composites. Maximum conductivity is observed at 423 K for all the samples and it is optimum for 10 mol. % ZnO doped PVA composite film. Significant increase in dc and ac conductivities in these composite films makes them a potential candidate for application in electronic devices.

Nanocrystalline porous CaSiO 3 ceramic powders have been synthesized by a novel low-temperature initiated self-propagating, gas-producing solution combustion method. Single phase β-CaSiO 3 (Wollastonite) is formed by calcination at 900• C for 3 h. The crystallization and phase formation temperatures in this method are found to be lower compared to the powder obtained via solid state reaction method. The powder is characterized by powder XRD (X-Ray Diffraction), and crystallite sizes are evaluated using Scherrer's formula as well as from TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy). The Wollastonite powder is exposed to 60 Co γ-radiation to accumulated doses of 1, 3, and 5 KGy and low-frequency (10 2 -10 6 Hz) dielectric measurements are carried out before and after irradiation. The dielectric conductivity is estimated from the dielectric constant and loss tangent. Exposure to γ-radiation results in substantial modification in the properties of the ceramic powder due to changes in the porosity of the material. The correlation between dielectric and conductivity properties is discussed in relation to porosity effect.

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Commercial npn transistor (2N 2219A) irradiated with 50 MeV Li 3+ -ions with fluences ranging from 3.1 · 10 13 ions cm À2 to 12.5 · 10 13 ions cm À2, is studied for radiation induced gain degradation and minority carrier trap levels or recombination centers. The properties such as activation energy, trap concentration and capture cross section of induced deep levels are studied by deep level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) technique. Minority carrier trap levels with energies ranging from 0.237 eV to 0.591 eV were observed in the base-collector junction of the transistor. In situ I-V measurements were made to study the gain degradation as a function of ion fluence. Ion induced energy levels result in increase in the base current through Shockley Read Hall (SRH) or multi-phonon recombination and subsequent transistor gain degradation.

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