Surface Space‐Charge Potential and Oxygen Surface Exchange Coefficient of SrTiO3: The Effect of Surface Orientation

Abstract

Abstract18O2/16O2 exchange experiments on terminated (100), (110), and (111) oriented samples of single‐crystal SrTiO3 are used to study the effect of surface orientation on the oxygen surface exchange coefficient and the surface space‐charge potential Φ0. Isotope exchanges are carried out at temperatures 922 < T/K < 1073 at an oxygen activity aO2 = 0.2 in dry conditions (aH2O < 10−7.7); isotope profiles are measured subsequently by secondary ion mass spectrometry. Isothermal values are found to vary by less than one order of magnitude, with . All data are consistent with a change in the activation enthalpy of surface exchange from 3.0 eV at high temperatures to 1.8 eV at lower temperatures. The transition is attributed to a change from a charge‐transfer mechanism at high temperatures to a mechanism involving surface OH species. The transition temperature depends on the surface orientation, Ttr(111) ≈ Ttr(110) > Ttr(100). Values of Φ0 obtained varied between 0.50 V and 0.37 V, with isothermal values obeying Φ0(111) ≈ Φ0(110) < Φ0(100). Φ0 data is analysed to obtain the OH− surface coverage for the low‐temperature regime. Similarities between the behavior of Φ0 and that of are highlighted.