Modern Synthesis and Sintering Techniques of Calcium Copper Titanium Oxide (CaCu3Ti4O12) Ceramics and Its Current Trend in Prospective Applications: A Mini-Review

Calcium Copper Titanium Oxide (CaCu₃Ti₄O_12/CCTO) has grasped massive attention for its colossal dielectric constant in high operating frequencies and wide temperature range. However, the synthesis and processing of CCTO directly influence the material's properties, imparting the overall performance. Researchers have extensively probed into these downsides, but the need for a new and novel approach has been in high demand. Modern synthesis routes and advanced non-conventional sintering techniques have been employed to curb the drawbacks for better properties and performance. This review provides a short overview of the modern synthesis and sintering methods that utilize direct pulse current and electromagnetic waves to improve the material's electrical, optical, and dielectric properties in the best ways possible. In addition, the current application of CCTO as a photocatalyst under visible light and CuO's role in the efficient degradation of pollutants in replacement for other metal oxides has been reviewed. This research also provides a brief overview of using CCTO as a photoelectrode in zinc-air batteries (ZAB) to improve the Oxidation-reduction and evolution (ORR/OER) reactions.

From Synthesis to Applications: Copper Calcium Titanate (CCTO) and its Magnetic and Photocatalytic Properties

Investigations focusing on electrical energy storage capacitors especially the dielectric ceramic capacitors for high energy storage density are attracting more and more attention in the recent years. Ceramic capacitors possess a faster charge‐discharge rate and improved mechanical and thermal properties compared with other energy storage devices such as batteries. The challenge is to obtain ceramic capacitors with outstanding mechanical, thermal and storage properties over large temperature and frequencies ranges. ABO₃ as a type of perovskites showed a strong piezoelectric, dielectric, pyroelectric, and electro‐optic properties useful as energy storage and environmental devices. CaCu₃Ti₄O₁₂ (CCTO) perovskite with cubic lattice (Im3 symmetry) was discovered to have a colossal dielectric constant (10⁴) that is stable over a wide range of frequencies (10 Hz–1 MHz) and temperature independence (100–300 K). The origin of this high dielectric constant is not fully established, specially because it is the same for single crystal and thin films. In this review, the history of CCTO will be introduced. The synthesis and the sintering approaches, the dopant elements used as well as the applications of CCTO will be reported. In addition to dielectrical properties useful to energy storage devices; CCTO could serve as photocatalytic materials with a very good performance in visible light.

Interplay mechanism between secondary phase particles and extended dislocations in CdZnTe crystals

Te-rich secondary phase dissociation dominates the volume variation during isothermal annealing, which results in the activation of dislocation glide and climb systems and, simultaneously, the diffusion of Te interstitials (Te_i).

Surface deformations as a necessary requirement for resistance switching at the surface of SrTiO3:N

Atomic force microscopy (AFM), conductive AFM and electrochemical strain microscopy were used to study the topography change at the defect surface of SrTiO3:N, breakdown in the electrical conduction of the tip/sample/electrode system and ionic motion. The IV curves show resistance switching behavior in a voltage range ±6 V < U <± 10 V and a current of maximum ±10 nA. A series of sweeping IV curves resulted in an increase in ionically polarized states (surface charging), electrochemical volume (surface deformations) and sequential formations of stable surface protrusions. The surface deformations are reversible (U <± 5 V) without IV pinched hysteresis and remained stable during the resistance switching (U >± 6 V), revealing the additional necessity (albeit insufficient due to 50% yield of working cells) of surface protrusion formation for resistance switching memory.

A look underneath the SiO2/4H-SiC interface after N2O thermal treatments

The electrical compensation effect of the nitrogen incorporation at the SiO2/4H-SiC (p-type) interface after thermal treatments in ambient N2O is investigated employing both scanning spreading resistance microscopy (SSRM) and scanning capacitance microscopy (SCM). SSRM measurements on p-type 4H-SiC areas selectively exposed to N2O at 1150 °C showed an increased resistance compared to the unexposed ones; this indicates the incorporation of electrically active nitrogen-related donors, which compensate the p-type doping in the SiC surface region. Cross-sectional SCM measurements on SiO2/4H-SiC metal/oxide/semiconductor (MOS) devices highlighted different active carrier concentration profiles in the first 10 nm underneath the insulator-substrate interface depending on the SiO2/4H-SiC roughness. The electrically active incorporated nitrogen produces both a compensation of the acceptors in the substrate and a reduction of the interface state density (D it). This result can be correlated with the 4H-SiC surface configuration. In particular, lower D it values were obtained for a SiO2/SiC interface on faceted SiC than on planar SiC. These effects were explained in terms of the different surface configuration in faceted SiC that enables the simultaneous exposition at the interface of atomic planes with different orientations.