J. Garcia-Barriocanal

Colossal Ionic Conductivity at Interfaces of Epitaxial ZrO2:Y2O3/SrTiO3 Heterostructures

The search for electrolyte materials with high oxygen conductivities is a key step toward reducing the operation temperature of fuel cells, which is currently above 700°C. We report a high lateral ionic conductivity, showing up to eight orders of magnitude enhancement near room temperature, in yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ)/strontium titanate epitaxial heterostructures. The enhancement of the conductivity is observed, along with a YSZ layer thickness–independent conductance, showing that it is an interface process. We propose that the atomic reconstruction at the interface between highly dissimilar structures (such as fluorite and perovskite) provides both a large number of carriers and a high-mobility plane, yielding colossal values of the ionic conductivity.

Spin and orbital Ti magnetism at LaMnO3/SrTiO3 interfaces

In systems with strong electron-lattice coupling, such as manganites, orbital degeneracy is lifted, causing a null expectation value of the orbital magnetic moment. Magnetic structure is thus determined by spin-spin superexchange. In titanates, however, with much smaller Jahn-Teller distortions, orbital degeneracy might allow non-zero values of the orbital magnetic moment, and novel forms of ferromagnetic superexchange interaction unique to t(2g) electron systems have been theoretically predicted, although their experimental observation has remained elusive. In this paper, we report a new kind of Ti(3+) ferromagnetism at LaMnO(3)/SrTiO(3) epitaxial interfaces. It results from charge transfer to the empty conduction band of the titanate and has spin and orbital contributions evidencing the role of orbital degeneracy. The possibility of tuning magnetic alignment (ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic) of Ti and Mn moments by structural parameters is demonstrated. This result will provide important clues for understanding the effects of orbital degeneracy in superexchange coupling.

“Charge Leakage” at LaMnO3/SrTiO3 Interfaces

We report on the charge transfer at the interface between a band (SrTiO3) and a Mott insulator (LaMnO3) in epitaxial superlattices. We have used combined atomic resolution electron microscopy and spectroscopy, synchrotron X ray reciprocal space maps and magneto transport measurements, to characterize the interface properties. The LaMnO3 layers are always started and terminated in (LaO) planes, giving an overall electron doping to the system. However, the direction of charge leakage is determined by the manganite to titanate thickness ratio in a way controlled by the different epitaxial strain patterns. This result may provide a clue to optimize oxide devices such as magnetic tunnel junctions and field effect transistors whose operation is determined by the interface properties.

Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy: from atomic imaging and analysis to solving energy problems.

The new possibilities of aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) extend far beyond the factor of 2 or more in lateral resolution that was the original motivation. The smaller probe also gives enhanced single atom sensitivity, both for imaging and for spectroscopy, enabling light elements to be detected in a Z-contrast image and giving much improved phase contrast imaging using the bright field detector with pixel-by-pixel correlation with the Z-contrast image. Furthermore, the increased probe-forming aperture brings significant depth sensitivity and the possibility of optical sectioning to extract information in three dimensions. This paper reviews these recent advances with reference to several applications of relevance to energy, the origin of the low-temperature catalytic activity of nanophase Au, the nucleation and growth of semiconducting nanowires, and the origin of the eight orders of magnitude increased ionic conductivity in oxide superlattices. Possible future directions of aberration-corrected STEM for solving energy problems are outlined.

Tailoring Disorder and Dimensionality: Strategies for Improved Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Electrolytes

Reducing the operation temperature of solid oxide fuel cells is a major challenge towards their widespread use for power generation. This has triggered an intense materials research effort involving the search for novel electrolytes with higher ionic conductivity near room temperature. Two main directions are being currently followed: the use of doping strategies for the synthesis of new bulk materials and the implementation of nanotechnology routes for the fabrication of artificial nanostructures with improved properties. In this paper, we review our recent work on solid oxide fuel cell electrolyte materials in these two directions, with special emphasis on the importance of disorder and reduced dimensionality in determining ion conductivity. Substitution of Ti for Zr in the A(2)Zr(2-) (y)Ti(y)O(7) (A = Y, Dy, and Gd) series, directly related to yttria stabilized zirconia (a common fuel cell electrolyte), allows controlling ion mobility over wide ranges. In the second scenario we describe the strong enhancement of the conductivity occurring at the interfaces of superlattices made by alternating strontium titanate and yttria stabilized zirconia ultrathin films. We conclude that cooperative effects in oxygen dynamics play a primary role in determining ion mobility of bulk and artificially nanolayered materials and should be considered in the design of new electrolytes with enhanced conductivity.

Electronically driven superconductor-insulator transition in electrostatically doped La2CuO4+δ thin films

Using an electronic double layer transistor we have systematically studied the superconductor-to-insulator transition in La

Effects of interface states on the transport properties of all-oxide La_(0.8)Sr_(0.2)CoO_(3)/SrTi_(0.99)Nb_(0.01)O_(3) p-n heterojunctions

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Surface Octahedral Distortions and Atomic Design of Perovskite Interfaces

CuO

INDUCED MAGNETISM AT OXIDE INTERFACES

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Electron doping by charge transfer at LaFeO3/Sm2CuO4 epitaxial interfaces.

thin films grown by ozone-assisted molecular-beam epitaxy. We have confirmed the high crystalline quality of the cuprate films and have demonstrated the suitability of the electronic double layer technique to continuously vary the charge density in a system that is otherwise characterized by the presence of miscibility gaps. The transport and magnetotransport results highlight the role of electron-electron interactions in the mechanism of the transition due to the proximity of the Mott-insulating state.