Characterization of electronic states and phonons in nanoparticles or thin films of BaSnO3 Perovskite and substituted versions with La3+ , Nb5+ and Sb5+ by Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS)

• Grant number: 25/05259-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: August 01, 2025
• End date: July 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Chemistry - Physical-Chemistry
• Principal Investigator: Edson Roberto Leite
• Grantee: Derik Tilly Machado
• Supervisor: Maureen Joel Lagos
• Host Institution: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa em Energia e Materiais (CNPEM). Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação (Brasil). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: McMaster University, Canada
• Associated to the scholarship: 23/00906-1 - Synthesis and Advanced Structural Characterization of BaSnO3 Films by Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS) and Electron Diffraction Pair Distribution Function (ePDF), BP.DR

Abstract

Conductive transparent oxides are compounds widely used in electronic devices as they present a rare combination of high optical transparency and high electrical conductivity. The cubic BaSnO3 pervoskite and its version with La are compounds with interesting properties to replace the most used transparent conductive oxides (Sn-In2O3and F-SnO2) as they present n-type semiconductor behavior, high electronic mobility (320cm²V-1s-1) and structural stability, being applied in water splitting and solar cells. Most of the efforts of the scientific community have been to evaluate the n-type semiconductor properties through doping of the A site, with little work being carried out to evaluate the effects of n-type substitution in the B site or in both sites. Through elementary substitutions of elements in +3 state in A and/or +5 state in B, we intend to create and control the amount of oxygen defects in the BaSnO3 perovskite to generate a greater amount of charge carriers for increasing its electronic conductivity. In this project we will evaluate the optical properties, electronics state and phonon modes of BaSnO3 perovskite, and it's substituted versions with La3+ (LBSO) in A site, Nb5+ (BNSO) and Sb5+ (BSSO) in B sit and in both sites by La3+/Nb5+ (LBNSO) and La3+/Sb5+ (LBSSO) through electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS). Therefore, the electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) technique presents itself as an excellent option for characterizing these perovskites as it allows the acquisition of information with high spatial and energetic resolution about their electronic, structural and chemical properties. (AU)