Effect of photon irradiation on conductivity of nanoscale yttria-doped zirconia thin films

Abstract

The effect of photon irradiation on high temperature conductivity of nanoscale yttria-doped zirconia thin films is reported. Nanoscale films show substantial decrease in total conductivity (as high as ∼40%) during ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, while the conductivity of bulk single crystals shows negligible changes. The UV induced conductivity changes are rapid and reversible and activation energies for ion migration remain unaffected. The reduction in conductivity may arise from changes in effective oxygen vacancy concentration. Such UV-influenced alteration of electrical properties offers an elegant route to tailor surface catalytic activity of oxygen ion and mixed conductors used in various solid-state devices. © 2007 American Institute of Physics.