Epitaxial 8YSZ/Y2Zr2O7 multilayers: a conductivity and strain study. Issue 30 (19th July 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Gilardi, Elisa; Gregori, Giuliano; Maier, Joachim
• Is Part Of: Physical chemistry chemical physics. Volume 20:Issue 30(2018)
• Page Start: 19995
• Page End: 20003
• Publication Date: 2018-07-19
• Subjects: Chemistry, Physical and theoretical -- Periodicals; 541.3
• DOI: 10.1039/c8cp03166e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1463-9076

Abstract

Abstract : Study of the effect of microstructure and strain on Y2 Zr2 O7 single layers and YSZ/Y2 Zr2 O7 multilayers. Abstract : Thin films of Y2 Zr2 O7 were grown via pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on substrates of MgO(110), Al2 O3 (0001) and Al2 O3 (11̄02). Electrical properties were investigated via electrical impedance spectroscopy. Unexpectedly, the ionic conductivity is not affected by the microstructure; only minor differences in conductivities and activation energies were measured between epitaxial thin films (on MgO) and textured thin films (on Al2 O3, both orientations). This indicates the grain boundaries of such a material to only marginally block the oxygen vacancy transport. Starting from these results, epitaxial multilayers of Y2 Zr2 O7 and 8 mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia with same overall thickness (between 60 and 70 nm) and different number of interfaces (from 1 up to 9) have been deposited on MgO(110) and the role of the residual compressive strain on the electrical properties has been investigated by means of XRD analysis and impedance spectroscopy. The results, showing no effect of the strain field on the ionic conductivity, indicate the negligible effect of the compressive strain on the ionic transport properties of the material.