Ionic to mixed ionic/electronic conduction transition of chemically lithiated Li0.33La0.56TiO3 at room temperature: Lithium-ion-motion dependent electron hopping

• Published in: Applied physics letters Vol. 89; no. 2
• Main Authors: Yang, Kai-Yun, Fung, Kuan-Zong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 10-07-2006
• ISSN: 0003-6951; 1077-3118
• DOI: 10.1063/1.2220480

The interfacial instability of metallic lithium and cation-vacant lithium lanthanum titanate results in the presence of Ti3+ donors and an increased number of Li+ ions at the Li0.33La0.56TiO3 side. It is clarified that the intercalated Li+ ion and the Ti-site electron are favorable to form a coupled Li+∕e− state to maintain the lowest electrostatic potential energy. Through the motion of these states, the interfacial instability is reflected in the electrical transition of Li0.33La0.56TiO3, in which the change of bulk electronic conduction from an insulator to a n-type semiconductor is determined by the lithium-ion-motion dependent electron hopping.