Electric field-induced defect redistribution along a near 23° (100) tilt grain boundary in SrTiO3

William Hahn; Andrew R. Lupini; Klaus van Benthem

doi:10.1111/jace.20459

Electric field-induced defect redistribution along a near 23° (100) tilt grain boundary in SrTiO₃

William Hahn, Andrew R. Lupini, Klaus van Benthem

electron Microscopy and Microanalysis

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

An electrostatic field strength of 11.6 V/mm was applied during thermal annealing along the grain boundary plane of a near 23° (100) tilt grain boundary in SrTiO₃. Electron microscopy characterization revealed the development of an increased number of pores located at the grain boundary plane near the positive electrode. Toward the negative electrode a lower physical density at the interface and a wider grain boundary core structure was observed compared to areas close to the positive electrode. Atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy identified different structure units for the grain boundary core in the proximity of the two electrodes and a higher density of interfacial steps close to the negative electrode. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy confirms modifications of the local interfacial bonding, stronger reduction of Ti cations, and distorted Ti─O octahedra close to the negative electrode. The experimental observations demonstrate field-induced redistribution of oxygen vacancies along the interface plane accommodated by disconnection movement.

Original language	English
Article number	e20459
Journal	Journal of the American Ceramic Society
Volume	108
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jace.20459
State	Accepted/In press - 2025

Funding

A portion of this research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences and Engineering Division (ARL) and conducted at the Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences, a DOE Office of Science User Facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Initial experiments were funded by the US National Science Foundation under contract DMR\u20101836571. Parts of this project were carried out at the Center for Nano and Micro Manufacturing (CNM2) and the Advanced Materials Characterization and Testing Laboratory (AMCaT) at UC Davis. The authors are grateful for assistance by Dr. Steffi Woo (ORNL) during experiments with the Nion UltraSTEM.

Keywords

TEM
electric field effects
grain boundaries
oxygen vacancies
space charge

Access to Document

10.1111/jace.20459

Cite this

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title = "Electric field-induced defect redistribution along a near 23° (100) tilt grain boundary in SrTiO3",

abstract = "An electrostatic field strength of 11.6 V/mm was applied during thermal annealing along the grain boundary plane of a near 23° (100) tilt grain boundary in SrTiO3. Electron microscopy characterization revealed the development of an increased number of pores located at the grain boundary plane near the positive electrode. Toward the negative electrode a lower physical density at the interface and a wider grain boundary core structure was observed compared to areas close to the positive electrode. Atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy identified different structure units for the grain boundary core in the proximity of the two electrodes and a higher density of interfacial steps close to the negative electrode. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy confirms modifications of the local interfacial bonding, stronger reduction of Ti cations, and distorted Ti─O octahedra close to the negative electrode. The experimental observations demonstrate field-induced redistribution of oxygen vacancies along the interface plane accommodated by disconnection movement.",

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AB - An electrostatic field strength of 11.6 V/mm was applied during thermal annealing along the grain boundary plane of a near 23° (100) tilt grain boundary in SrTiO3. Electron microscopy characterization revealed the development of an increased number of pores located at the grain boundary plane near the positive electrode. Toward the negative electrode a lower physical density at the interface and a wider grain boundary core structure was observed compared to areas close to the positive electrode. Atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy identified different structure units for the grain boundary core in the proximity of the two electrodes and a higher density of interfacial steps close to the negative electrode. Electron energy-loss spectroscopy confirms modifications of the local interfacial bonding, stronger reduction of Ti cations, and distorted Ti─O octahedra close to the negative electrode. The experimental observations demonstrate field-induced redistribution of oxygen vacancies along the interface plane accommodated by disconnection movement.

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