Semiconducting properties of barium titanate and iron substituted barium titanate

Single crystals of barium titanate and members of the series BaTi_1?xFe_xO_3?xF_x have been grown from a potassium fluoride flux. These crystals were made conductive by heating in a sealed evacuated silica tube in the presence of freshly ground titanium. Electrical, optical and magnetic measurements were performed in order to characterize these crystals. Optical measurements indicated a decrease in the band edge from 3.2(1) eV for barium titanate to 2.8(1) eV for Bati_1?xFe_xO_3?xF_x(x = 0.02, 0.05, 0.07, 0.10). The photoelectrolytic behavior of reduced barium titanate was strongly quenched upon the substitution of iron and fluorine.