Study of proton-conducting oxides by artificial modulation of dopant distribution

Artificial lattices are synthesized by alternate deposition of the SrZrO3 (SZO) and the Y2O3 (SZO/Y artificial lattice) by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) process to investigate the role of dopant cations in the proton migration. The XRD analysis of SZO/Y artificial lattices show that they are highly oriented in [001] direction epitaxially both on STO(001) and MgO(001) substrates similarly like SZO thin films. The HREM cross sectional views of SZO/Y artificial lattices show that the interface of the SZO layer and Y layer is very flat and the SZO can grow epitaxially even when Y layers are inserted. From the electric conductivity measurements, the main carrier of the SZO/Y artificial lattice is found to be proton.