Tunable electrical conductivity in nanoscale Gd-doped ceria thin films

Nanoscale Gd-doped ceria thin films exhibit a slow change in conductivity upon high temperature (>800°C) annealing for extended period of time in controlled oxygen environments. Conductivity can be modulated reversibly upon thermochemical conditioning. The process is kinetically driven, and hence transient states can be quenched at lower temperatures. Nanoscale oxides with more than one order of difference in electrical properties can be obtained by suitable treatments. The results are of potential relevance to synthesizing oxides with controlled functional properties.