Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/N09145/01
Title:	THE CHARACTERISATION OF INTERFACES IN FUNCTIONAL CERAMICS
Principal Investigator:	Bristowe, Dr P
Other Investigators:	Knowles, Dr KM
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Department:	Materials Science & Metallurgy
Organisation:	University of Cambridge
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	01 October 2000	Ends:	30 June 2004	Value (£):	240,597
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Electronics No relevance to Underpinning Sectors
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The aim of our proposed research is to forge a new microscopic understanding of the role of interfaces and interfacial segregation in determining the properties of oxide ceramics through a coupled theoretical and experimental approach. State-of-the-art atomistic and electronic modelling techniques will be used in combination with a diverse range of analytical electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques on well-defined boundary structures. This joint approach will address both structural and electronic featured of boundaries, e.g.:(i) What are details of the structural features characterising the grain boundaries (e.g. boundary width, structural units, local stoichemistry), and how are these affected by impurity segregation?(ii) How are the grain boundaries characteristics electronically? What is the relationship between measured potential barrier heights and the calculated charge density distribution and valence state of the impurity? How do the electronic properties of the boundary change when an electric field is applied?There have been few systematic studies to answer these questions. This investigation is now feasible due to recent advances in materials theory and modelling and development of new electron imaging techniques.We propose to concentrate our experimental and computational work on three centrosymmetric materials: SrTiO3, MgO and TiO2.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.cam.ac.uk