Semi-Conducting Behavior of Plio-Quaternary Basaltic Lava Flows from Hemat Madam Volcano, Sana’a-Amran Volcanic Field, Yemen

M. R.  Eraky; Mohamed Th. S.  Heikal

doi:10.4236/jamp.2015.312185

M. R. Eraky¹^*, Mohamed Th. S. Heikal²

Abstract: Electric DC and AC measurements and dielectric investigations have been carried out on some Plio-Qaternary basalt of Hemat Madam volcano from Sana’a-Amran volcanic field (SAVF). In this article we focus primarily on the field aspects and the main characteristic mineralogical and petrographic features of this inactive volcano. Using DC and AC experimental arrangements we discovered excellent electrical characteristics for this inactive volcano. The results of DC electrical resistivity versus a temperature reveal that all the samples have semiconductor characters. Moreover, the measurements showed that these samples have high resistive extrinsic semiconductors (ρDC ~ 109 Ω·m). AC and dielectric measurements were ensured the semi-conductivity and normal dielectric behavior of these samples. AC measurements reveal that the classical barrier hopping model (CBH) is the predominant conduction mechanism, while at low temperature region small polarons may contribute to the conduction in the samples. The samples have low values for dielectric constant ε' and low loss factor tanδ (ε' ~ 27 and tanδ ~ 0.7 at 200 Hz for the sample BA7). Then, the semicodutor behavior, the high values of DC/AC resistivity and low loss dissipation factor considered a very good characterization for magnetic semiconductor materials. So, we can predict that, the studied natural materials represent newborn promising material sciences for many more technological applications.

Keywords: Hemat Madam Volcano, Semiconductor, Basaltic Rocks, Electrical Properties

Cite this paper: Eraky, M. and Heikal, M. (2015) Semi-Conducting Behavior of Plio-Quaternary Basaltic Lava Flows from Hemat Madam Volcano, Sana’a-Amran Volcanic Field, Yemen. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Physics, 3, 1610-1618. doi: 10.4236/jamp.2015.312185.

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