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Buried Interfaces Effects in Ionic Conductive LaF 3 –SrF 2 Multilayers
Author(s) -
Koshmak Konstantin,
Banshchikov Alexander,
Ciancio Regina,
Orgiani Pasquale,
Borgatti Francesco,
Panaccione Giancarlo,
Giglia Angelo,
Céolin Denis,
Rueff JeanPascal,
Sokolov Nikolai S.,
Pasquali Luca
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201600875
Subject(s) - materials science , crystallinity , electron diffraction , x ray photoelectron spectroscopy , transmission electron microscopy , annealing (glass) , ionic conductivity , ionic bonding , heterojunction , ion , epitaxy , chemical physics , crystallography , diffraction , condensed matter physics , electrolyte , nanotechnology , chemical engineering , optoelectronics , composite material , layer (electronics) , chemistry , optics , electrode , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
In multiphase/multilayer solid electrolytes, the composition, reactivity, and structure of interfaces between materials and phases play a fundamental role for fast ion‐conduction. Here, the properties of buried interfaces in prototypical fast ion‐conducting LaF 3 /SrF 2 epitaxial multilayers are investigated. Photoelectron spectroscopy—both with soft‐X and high‐energy photons—is applied to separate composition and reactivity of buried interfaces with respect to the outermost surface. X‐ray reflectivity, high‐energy electron diffraction, X‐ray diffraction, atomic force and transmission electron microscopies are used to study morphology, layer crystallinity, epitaxy relations, and buried interface structure. It is found that while the alternated layers present good crystallinity and high lattice matching, with formation of almost ideal sharp interfaces, buried interfaces show a sizeable reduction of the energy barrier for F vacancy formation with respect to bare materials. A density higher by a factor of six of fluorine vacancies is observed at buried interfaces in multilayers with respect to the bare materials. This is correlated to the formation of space charge regions, favoring ion conduction. The formation of F depleted La fluoride regions at interfaces is also promoted by annealing. This is associated to the increase of ion conductivity in annealed heterostructures reported in literature.