Electrical conductivity of textured Sm3+ and Nd3+ Co-doped CeO2 thin-film electrolyte

Nanocrystalline thin-film electrolytes of Sm3+ and Nd3+ co-doped ceria have been deposited on polycrystalline alumina substrates via RF magnetron sputtering. It is found that with the increase of substrate temperature from room temperature to 600 degrees C, the structure of the film varies from (111) preferred orientation to random orientation, accompanied by an enhancement in electrical conductivity. It is estimated that the activation energy for oxygen ion migration along (111) orientation may be higher than other crystal orientations, resulting in a lower conductivity of the (111) barrier textured co-doped ceria film electrolyte. It also indicates that the electrical conduction is predominantly due to the oxygen ions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.