Strain Tuning and Strong Enhancement of Ionic Conductivity in SrZrO3-RE2O3 (RE = Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, and Er) Nanocomposite Films

Fast ion transport channels at interfaces in thin films have attracted great attention due to a range of potential applications for energy materials and devices, for, solid oxide fuel cells, sensors, and memories. Here, it is shown that in vertical nanocomposite heteroepitaxial films of SrZrO3-RE2O3 (RE = Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, and Er) the ionic conductivity of the composite can be tuned and strongly enhanced using embedded, stiff, and vertical nanopillars of RE2O3. With increasing lattice constant of RE2O3 from Er2O3 to Sm2O3, it is found that the tensile strain in the SrZrO3 increases proportionately, and the ionic conductivity of the composite increases accordingly, by an order of magnitude. The results here conclusively show, for the first time, that strain in films can be effectively used to tune the ionic conductivity of the materials.