Abstract
The x values of nonstoichiometric chemical formula, $Tb_4O_{7-{\delta}}\;or\;TbO_{1.5+x}$, have been determined in temperature range from 600$^{\circ}$C to 1000$^{\circ}$C under oxygen partial pressure of 2 ${\times}$ 10$^{-1}$ to 1 ${\times}$ 10$^{-5}$ atm by using quartz microbalance. The x values varied from 0.0478 to 0.1964 in the above conditions. The enthalpy of formation for x' in TbO$_{1.5+(0.25-xo-x')}$, ${\delta}H_f$, was 4.93-3.40 kcal mol$^{-1}$ and the oxygen partial pressure dependence was -1/8.80∼-1/11.8 under these conditions. The electrical conductivity of the $TbO_{1.5+x}$ was measured under the same conditions and the values varied from about 10$^{-3}$ to 10$^{-6}\;{\Omega}^{-1}cm^{-1}$ within semiconductor range. The activation energies for the conduction increase with oxygen partial pressure from 0.83 to 0.89 eV under the above conditions. The l/n values obtained from the oxygen pressure dependence of the conductivity are 1/4.4-1/5.2. The conduction mechanism, defect structure, and other physical properties of the oxides are dicussed with the x values, the electrical conductivity values, and the thermodynamic data.