Effect Of Layer Thickness Research Articles

Effect of active layer thickness on device performance of InSnZnO thin-film transistors grown by atomic layer deposition.

Amorphous oxide semiconductors have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potential in flat-panel displays and back-end-of-line-compatible monolithic 3D (M3D) integration applications. This study explores amorphous InSnZnO thin films deposited via plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) and the development of high-performance PEALD ITZO thin-film transistors (TFTs) with different active layer thicknesses, fabricated under a low thermal budget of 200 °C. By optimizing the deposition process of binary oxides InOx, SnOx, and ZnOx, a shared temperature window of 170-180 °C was identified for ITZO thin-film deposition. The deposited ITZO films, irrespective of thickness, exhibit an amorphous phase. Moreover, a reduction in ITZO film thickness from 24 to 4.8nm leads to an increase in the optical bandgap from 3.35 to 3.65eV. The channel thickness significantly impacts the threshold voltage and carrier density of ITZO TFTs. Optimized ITZO TFTs with a 16nm channel thickness demonstrate excellent electrical performance, including a threshold voltage of -0.58V, a field-effect mobility of 29cm2/V s, an on/off ratio exceeding 108, and a subthreshold swing of 74 mV/dec. Furthermore, the optimized ITZO TFT exhibits excellent stability under positive bias stress at 2 MV/cm, with a threshold voltage shift of 0.15V after 3600s. Consequently, ALD-based ITZO emerges as a promising channel material for future applications in transparent electronics and flat-panel displays.

Investigation of Layer Thickness Effects on Mechanical Properties of PLA Using FDM Additive Manufacturing

This study explores the influence of layer thickness on the mechanical properties of Polylactic Acid (PLA) fab- ricated using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) additive manufacturing. By systematically varying the layer thickness, the aim to understand how these changes affect tensile strength, elasticity, and overall structural integrity of the printed components. The research employs a series of controlled experiments, utilizing standardized testing procedures to mea- sure and analyze the mechanical performance of PLA specimens. Results indicate significant variations in mechanical properties correlating with different layer thicknesses, providing valuable insights for optimizing print parameters in FDM processes. These findings contribute to the broader knowledge base, guiding the design and manufacturing of more robust and reliable 3D-printed objects.

Adaptive phase-field modeling of fracture propagation in layered media: Effects of mechanical property mismatches, layer thickness, and interface strength

Fracture propagation in layered media is investigated using an adaptive phase-field method. We focus on the interplay between cracks and interfaces, considering both perfectly and imperfectly bonded interfaces. For perfectly bonded interfaces, three-layer models are analyzed to study the effects of mechanical property mismatches, layer thickness, and confinement pressure on crack growth. Results reveal that critical energy release rate mismatch significantly influences the crack geometry, leading to single through-going fractures, middle layer fragmentation, or delamination. There is an inverse relationship between layer thickness and fragmentation, and between confinement pressure and delamination. For imperfectly bonded interfaces, a phase-field method incorporating an interface energy term is introduced and validated with benchmark examples. This model is used to study the combined effects of mechanical property mismatch and interface strength on crack growth. Our findings demonstrate that the interface strength strongly influences the dominant failure mechanism, with high strength favoring mechanical property mismatch-driven fracture and low strength leading to interfacial failure. Finally, the robustness of the proposed method is illustrated through a complex seven-layer model. This study provides valuable insights into the various factors influencing macroscopic failure mechanisms in layered materials.

Effect of NiCrCoAlY Transition Layer Thickness on Structure and Properties of BNT/NiCrCoAlY Ceramic Coatings

Effect of NiCrCoAlY Transition Layer Thickness on Structure and Properties of BNT/NiCrCoAlY Ceramic Coatings

The Effect of Layer Thickness and Nozzle Diameter in Fused Deposition Modelling Printing on the Flexural Strength of Zirconia Ceramic Samples Produced by a Multistage Manufacturing Process

The process of creating ceramic items using fused deposition modelling (FDM) enables the creation of intricate shapes for a variety of purposes, including tooling and prototyping. However, due to the numerous variables involved in the process, it is challenging to discern the impact of each parameter on the final characteristics of FDM components, which impedes the advancement of this technology. This paper deals with the application of statistical analysis in the study of the dependence of the flexural strength of sintered zirconia disks on the printing parameters (nozzle diameter, layer thickness, and infill pattern) of the fused deposition method printing of a ceramic–polymer filament containing 80 wt.% zirconia and 20 wt.% polylactide. X-ray-computed tomography and diffraction systems, scanning electron microscopy combined with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, were used for a microstructural analysis of the sintered samples. It was found that the nozzle diameter and infill pattern have no significant influence on the flexural strength values. It was assumed that this is due to the heterogeneous distribution of the ceramic phase in the manufactured filament during extrusion. On the other hand, correlation analysis and analysis of correlation diagrams have shown that the thickness of the filling layer has the greatest effect on flexural strength. The maximum (684 МPa) strength value was found in a sample printed with a layer thickness of 0.2 mm. The minimum layer thickness ensures a more uniform distribution of ceramic particles and minimizes defects in samples that occur during FDM printing. The results obtained make it possible to optimize the considered process of manufacturing ceramic products from ZrO2 printed using FDM technology from extruded composite filaments.

High‐Efficiency PbS Quantum Dots Infrared Solar Cells via Numerical Simulation and Experimental Optimization

AbstractLow‐bandgap lead sulfide quantum dots (PbS QDs) can efficiently harness the infrared (IR) light in the solar spectrum beyond 1100 nm, showing great application potential in the bottom subcells of tandem solar cells. However, achieving further efficiency improvements in PbS QDs IR solar cells still faces many challenges. In this work, the effects of the absorber layer thickness, the carrier mobility in the absorber layer, the defect density in the absorber layer and at the absorber/electron transfer layer (ETL) interface, and the doping density of the ETL and hole transfer layer (HTL) on the performance of PbS QDs (≈0.95 eV) IR solar cells are systematically investigated through SCAPS‐1D simulation. A theoretical efficiency of 16.95% and 2.15% is calculated for PbS QDs IR solar cells under AM 1.5 and 1100 nm‐filtered illumination, respectively. Based on the simulation results, the corresponding PbS QDs IR solar cells are fabricated with an efficiency of 11.53% under AM 1.5 illumination, a remarkable 1100 nm‐filtered efficiency of 1.30%, and a high external quantum efficiency of 70.50% at 1290 nm. Hence, these findings will accelerate the optimization of the performance of PbS QDs IR solar cells approaching their theoretical efficiency limit.

Effects of interface roughness and layer thickness on the cracking characteristics of fine-grained coral soil

Fine-grained coral soil, prevalent in tropical shallow marine environments, demonstrates significant potential as a natural engineering material. This study presents laboratory experiments employing digital image technology to investigate the effects of soil layer thickness and interface roughness on its cracking characteristics. By analyzing soil particle displacement during the cracking process, we examined the relationship between particle movement and the observed macroscopic crack patterns. The results indicate that both interface roughness and soil thickness substantially influence crack development and morphology. Increased interface roughness accelerates the cracking rate and transforms the pattern from overall contraction to multi-directional expansion, resulting in dense crack networks. Thinner soil layers facilitate more intricate crack formations, whereas thicker layers lead to more pronounced settling, longer and wider cracks, reduced horizontal cracking, and a simplified overall cracking pattern. This study elucidates the impact of interface roughness and soil layer thickness on the cracking behavior of fine-grained coral soil, providing valuable insights for its potential engineering applications.

On the dynamics of bubbles passing through a sand bed layer

Abstract The present research paper reports the outcomes of an extensive laboratory investigation examining the effects of grain size and air discharge on bubble dynamics of bubble plumes passing through a sand bed layer. The effects of sand layer thickness and grain size on bubble characteristics such as bubble size, bubble concentration and velocity, and interfacial area within bubble plumes are studied for a wide range of air discharges. The experiments revealed 58% reduction on the mode bubble size when the sand bed thickness increased from 33 to 66 times of the nozzle diameter. The distribution of bubble size along the main axis of the plume indicated a linear correlation while bubble size distribution became more uniform with relatively smaller bubbles when air passes through a sand bed layer. A sand bed layer significantly improved the formation of uniform bubbly flow with relatively smaller bubbles sizes. Moreover, an increase in the thickness of sand bed layer reduced the mean bubble velocity and consequently extended the residence time of bubbles. Non-linear correlations were observed between particle size and bubble velocity and empirical correlations were formulated to estimate mean bubble diameter and bubble velocity for different bed particle sizes and initial air discharges. The frequency of bubbles increased with increasing air discharge and the sand bed layer almost doubled the frequency of bubbles. The interfacial area of bubbles, which is an indicator of the contact surface between air and water, increased by approximately 32% when the initial Reynolds number doubled.

Normative prospective data on automatically quantified retinal morphology correlated to retinal function in healthy ageing eyes by two microperimetry devices.

The relationship between retinal morphology, as assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT), and retinal function in microperimetry (MP) has not been well studied, despite its increasing importance as an essential functional endpoint for clinical trials and emerging therapies in retinal diseases. Normative databases of healthy ageing eyes are largely missing from literature. Healthy subjects above 50 years were examined using two MP devices, MP-3 (NIDEK) and MAIA (iCare). An identical grid, encompassing 45 stimuli was used for retinal sensitivity (RS) assessment. Deep-learning-based algorithms performed automated segmentation of ellipsoid zone (EZ), outer nuclear layer (ONL), ganglion cell layer (GCL) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) from OCT volumes (Spectralis, Heidelberg). Pointwise co-registration between each MP stimulus and corresponding location on OCT was performed via registration algorithm. Effect of age, eccentricity and layer thickness on RS was assessed by mixed effect models. Three thousand six hundred stimuli from twenty eyes of twenty patients were included. Mean patient age was 68.9 ± 10.9 years. Mean RS for the first exam was 28.65 ± 2.49 dB and 25.5 ± 2.81 dB for MP-3 and MAIA, respectively. Increased EZ thickness, ONL thickness and GCL thickness were significantly correlated with increased RS (all p < 0.001). Univariate models showed lower RS with advanced age and higher eccentricity (both p < 0.05). This work provides reference values for healthy age-related EZ and ONL-thicknesses without impairment of visual function and evidence for RS decrease with eccentricity and increasing age. This information is crucial for interpretation of future clinical trials in disease.

Modeling interface roughness scattering with incorporation of potential energy and wave-function fluctuations: Enhancing mobility in AlN/GaN digital alloys

Interface roughness (IFR) scattering significantly impacts the mobility of two-dimensional electron gases (2DEGs) in heterostructures. While existing models for IFR scattering have advanced our understanding, they have notable limitations. The model developed by Jin et al. in 2007, while incorporating a realistic barrier height and roughness-induced changes in potential and subband wave-functions, employs a first-order roughness expansion. The formulation introduced by Lizzit et al. in 2014, although avoiding the first-order approximation for better higher-order effect modeling, omits IFR-induced change in electron density distribution. To address these limitations, we introduce a novel model that comprehensively accounts for all IFR-induced effects while avoiding any expansion approximations, by incorporating IFR-modified subband energies and wave-functions obtained from the numerical solution of the Schrödinger equation during the calculation of IFR scattering matrix elements. In addition, we have included models for other relevant scattering mechanisms, including charged dislocation lines, ionized impurities, acoustic phonons, and polar optical phonons. A comprehensive numerical analysis of carrier mobility has been performed for an AlN/GaN high electron mobility transistor, yielding results consistent with experimental data. Furthermore, to investigate the impact of device architecture on 2DEG mobility, we study the effects of layer thickness and modulation doping profiles in AlN/GaN digital alloys. Our findings reveal strategies for engineering high mobility at elevated 2DEG concentrations, potentially advancing the development of high-performance semiconductor devices.

The Effect of Channel Layer Thickness on the Performance of GaN HEMTs for RF Applications.

In this paper, AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) with different thicknesses of unintentional doping GaN (UID-GaN) channels were compared and discussed. In order to discuss the effect of different thicknesses of the UID-GaN layer on iron-doped tails, both AlGaN/GaN HEMTs share the same 200 nm GaN buffer layer with an Fe-doped concentration of 8 × 1017 cm-3. Due to the different thicknesses of the UID-GaN layer, the concentration of Fe trails reaching the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) varies. The breakdown voltage (Vbr) increases with the high concentration of Fe-doped in GaN buffer layer. However, the mobility of the low concentration of the Fe-doped tail is higher than that of the high concentration of the Fe-doped tail. Therefore, the effect of different thicknesses of UID-GaN on the DC and radio frequency (RF) performance of the device needs to be verified. It provides a reference to the epitaxial design for high-performance GaN HEMTs.

INFLUENCE OF SPIRO-OMETAD FILM THICKNESS ON THE STRUCTURAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS

This work investigates the effect of the hole transport layer (HTL) thickness of Spiro-OMeTAD on the electrical transport properties in perovskite solar cells (PSCs).Spiro-OMeTAD films were obtained by the spin-coating method at centrifuge rotation speedsfrom 2000 to 7000 rpm. The thickness and morphology of the Spiro-OMeTAD films were studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). From the obtained AFM image data, an increase in the surface root mean square (rms) value is observed with decreasing film thickness. A decrease in film thickness leads to an increase in Energy gap (Eg)from 2.97 eV to 3.01 eV. We observe that at a layer thickness of 260 nm, the efficiency of the cells reaches its maximum value; further increasing the layer thickness reduces the efficiency. Analysis of the impedance spectra of PSCs showed that the optimal layer thickness reduces the HTL resistance and increases the recombination resistance at the perovskite/HTL interface, which increases the effective lifetime of charge carriers. Images of the surface and current distribution of Spiro-OMeTAD on the surface of the perovskite layer were studied.A non-uniform current distribution on the surface of the samples was revealed, the observed spots with high conductivity are interpreted as perovskite quantum dots, which have better photovoltaic characteristics.Keywords: Perovskite solar cells, hole transport layer,Spiro-OMeTAD, conductive-AFM, current-voltage characteristics, impedance measurements.1. Introduction In recent years, organic-inorganic perovskite solar cells have attracted much attention from the global scientific community. The unprecedented development of PSCs is driven by their high optical absorption coefficient, tunable bandgap, low cost, ease of fabrication, and great potential to achieve higher efficiency compared to c-Si solar cells [1–3].To increase the efficiency and stability of PSCs, work is being done to search and optimize the composition of all parts of the solar cell, not only the perovskite itself, but also theso-called transport layers. The hole-conducting transport layer plays an important role in the efficiency of charge transfer and extraction of photoexcited perovskite, HTL is important for power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability in PSCs. Transportlayers typically consist of small organic molecules, polymers, or inorganic materials such as oxides. The energy level of the HTL material must coincide with the maximum

Microstructure of Lithium Metal Electrodeposited at the Steel|Li6PS5Cl Interface in “Anode‐Free” Solid‐State Batteries

AbstractRecent research shows that integrating lithium metal anodes can enhance battery energy density, but the high reactivity of lithium requires handling under inert conditions to avoid degradation. To overcome this, reservoir‐free cells (RFCs) are explored, where lithium metal is electrodeposited at the current collector (CC) and solid electrolyte (SE) interface during initial charging. The electrochemical properties of electrodeposited lithium are influenced by its morphology and microstructure, which impact lithium discharge capacity and pore formation. However, little is known about how to control the microstructure of electrodeposited lithium. This work experimentally characterizes the lithium microstructure at the steel|Li6PS5Cl interface using cryogenic ion beam milling, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), focusing on the effects of electrodeposition current density and lithium layer thickness. The results show that layer thickness, not current density, primarily governs the lithium microstructure. This “specimen thickness effect” is qualitatively described using a Monte Carlo Potts model and indicates that electrodeposited lithium metal quickly equilibrates at room temperature.

Statistical analysis of process parameters for additive manufacturing of a pipe spacer for oil and gas applications

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the effects of process parameters on parts produced through the material extrusion process to create a piping spacer suitable for oil and gas applications. Design/methodology/approach The two primary materials examined were Acrylonitrile Styrene Acrylate (ASA) and High-Impact Polystyrene (HIPS). Taguchi’s design of experiment methodology was used for the design of experiments. The effect of processing parameters fill density, layer thickness and printing orientation) on the output factors (maximum compressive strength and specific energy) was analyzed through analysis of variance. According to the application of the piping spacer, compression testing is deemed to be as per ASTM-D695 requirements. In addition to this, the optimum processing factors were identified through gray relational analysis (GRA) and response surface methodology (RSM). Findings ANOVA results indicate that fill density had the highest percentage contribution for ASA, with a percentage of 29.84%, followed by layer thickness (27.54%) and printing orientation (22.08%). However, for the HIPS material, density was the most influential element, with a contribution of 77.80%, followed by layer thickness at 16.77% and printing orientation at 4.39%. Optimization of the process parameters through GRA and RSM suggested the optimum parameters combination for ASA was 90° printing orientation, 0.09 mm layer thickness and 100% fill density, whereas HIPS had the same response except for the printing orientation, which was 0°, 0.09 mm layer thickness and 100% fill density. Originality/value This paper can serve as an aid in understanding the effect of printing orientation, layer thickness and fill density on the plyometric material extrusion process.

High transparent conductive Mg, Al, and Ga co-doped ZnO multilayer thin films with Cu interlayer: fabrication, structure, and characteristics.

Overcoming the challenge of preparing high-transparency and low-resistivity thin films is of great significance for the development of indium-free transparent electrodes. In the present work, high-quality Mg, Al, and Ga co-doped ZnO (MAGZO)/Cu/MAGZO multilayer thin films are deposited on glass by magnetron sputtering. The effects of Cu layer thickness (d Cu) on the structural, morphological, optical, and electrical characteristics of the films are investigated in detail. With increasing d Cu from 0 to 25 nm, the growth orientation of (002) ZnO crystal weakens, while that of (111) Cu crystal strengthens, and the surface of the films exhibits uniform, low roughness, and defect-free characteristics. Additionally, both the resistivity and the optical transmittance generally decrease with increasing Cu layer thickness. Interestingly, the average visible transmittance has a reverse change as d Cu increases from 5 to 11 nm, resulting in the optimal photoelectric performance of the multilayers at d Cu = 11 nm: the figure of merit of 9.42 × 10-3 Ω-1 with the resistivity of 1.24 × 10-4 Ω cm and the visible transmittance of 84.2%. Compared with other reported sandwich transparent conductive films, it is found that doping Mg in the oxide layer is the key to improving the overall optoelectronic properties of the multilayers.

Fatigue and fracture of accumulative roll-bonded Cu/Nb materials: Effects of layer thickness and loading direction

Fatigue and fracture of accumulative roll-bonded Cu/Nb materials: Effects of layer thickness and loading direction

Modulating spin-valley relaxation in WSe2 with variable thickness VOPc layers

Combining the synthetic tunability of molecular compounds with the optical selection rules of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) that derive from spin-valley coupling could provide interesting opportunities for the readout of quantum information. However, little is known about the electronic and spin interactions at such interfaces and the influence on spin-valley relaxation. In this work, vanadyl phthalocyanine (VOPc) molecular layers are thermally evaporated on WSe2 to explore the effect of molecular layer thickness on excited-state spin-valley polarization. The thinnest molecular layer supports an interfacial state which destroys the spin-valley polarization almost instantaneously, whereas a thicker molecular layer results in longer-lived spin-valley polarization than the WSe2 monolayer alone. The mechanism appears to involve a tightly bound species at the molecule/TMDC interface that strengthens exchange interactions and is largely avoided in thicker VOPc layers that isolate electrons from WSe2 holes.

Layer thickness dependent strengthening and strain delocalization mechanism in CuTa nanopillars with nanoscale amorphous/amorphous interfaces

Introducing amorphous/amorphous interfaces in metallic glasses offers an effective strategy to address the strength-plasticity trade-off by suppressing the strain localization. Elucidating the underlying size-dependent deformation mechanisms is crucial for designing strong and ductile amorphous nanolayered materials. Herein, molecular dynamics simulations are conducted to investigate the deformation behaviors of Cu70Ta30/Cu30Ta70 amorphous/amorphous nanopillars (AANPs) under compression, focusing on the intrinsic size effect of amorphous layer thickness. The results indicate a critical layer thickness of approximately 6.7 nm, below which an inverse Hall-Petch relation occurs. This transition is attributed to a shift in dominant deformation mode from the necking and localized deformation to the relatively homogeneous deformation as the layer thicknesses decreases. These A/A interfaces could be considered as a third medium phase in nanolaminates, especially when the thickness is very low, down to only a few of nm. The mechanical properties and deformation behavior of transitional interface phase lie between those of soft and hard phases, balancing heterogeneous deformation between hard and soft layers and resulting in homogeneous flow deformation of specimen with thinner amorphous layer. These findings provide insight for designing ductile amorphous materials through architecting nanoscale amorphous/amorphous interfaces.

Vat photopolymerization 3D printing optimization: Analysis of print conditions and print quality for complex geometries and ocular applications

3D printing, also known as additive manufacturing, continues to reshape manufacturing paradigms in healthcare by providing customized on-demand object fabrication. However, stereolithography-based 3D printers encounter a conflict between optimizing printing parameters, requiring more time, and print efficiency, requiring less time. Moreover, commonly used metrics to assess shape fidelity of 3D printed hydrogel materials like ‘circularity’ and ‘printability’ are limited by the soft nature of hydrogels, that can cause irregularities in their boundary. To unlock the full potential of 3D printing of biomaterials, it is also necessary to understand correlation between printing parameters and ink properties. In this work, a method based on curing depth, overcuring (cumulative cure), and print thickness was developed, which enables a time-efficient and reliable determination of printing conditions for complex geometries using gelatin methacrylate hydrogel biomaterial ink. We also examined the impact of printing direction on the print quality in terms of object/print thickness and aspect ratio. Moreover, the effects of dye concentration, exposure time, and layer thickness on print quality were evaluated, with discussions focused on the correlation between print dimension to layer thickness. Further evaluation was achieved by successfully printing bioinspired corneal stroma-like scaffold and delicate structures like a contact lens and a model eyeball, substantially expanding the scope of this method in producing high-quality prints with intricate details. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of ‘Feret ratio,’ another measure of object shape, in assessing the shape fidelity of different prints. Overall, the results highlight the practical potential of this method in enhancing the speed and reliability of the 3D printing processes involving complex geometries using a low-cost 3D printers.

Sr Migration and Gd-Ce-Zr Interdiffusion in Solid Oxide Cells Under Different Fabrication and Testing Conditions

This work aims to understand how solid oxide cell (SOC) fabrication methods and SOC operating conditions affect Sr migration into the yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ) electrolyte through the rare-earth doped ceria barrier layer. Ni-YSZ electrode-supported SOCs and coupons were fabricated using (La0.6Sr0.4)0.95Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ-Gd0.1Ce0.9O2-δ (LSCF-GDC) oxygen electrode and GDC or samaria-doped ceria (SDC) barrier layer. Barrier layers were either screen printed and sintered to YSZ electrolyte layer at 1260 °C for 2h, or deposited using thin film deposition techniques such as PLD, electron beam and sputtering. LSCF-GDC electrode layer was sintered onto the GDC barrier at different temperatures from 950 to 1100°C for 2h to determine the effect of firing temperature and barrier layer thickness on Sr migration. Several SOCs were tested at 750°C in a wide range of operating conditions, both in SOFC and SOEC mode, for up to 12,000 hours. The GDC/YSZ interfaces in coupons and SOCs were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). Sr-Zr rich phase formation at GDC/YSZ interface was observed in coupons with LSCF-GDC sintered at 1100°C, but not in the other coupons sintered below 1100°C, unless the barrier layer was too thin and porous. Furthermore, no Sr migration into YSZ was observed in SOECs with varying testing time from 0 h to12,000 h. In addition, Gd and Ce diffusion into YSZ occurred when GDC was fired at 1260°C, but not in cells with GDC deposited using thin film techniques without additional high temperature firing. No significant difference was noted in the GDC-YSZ interdiffusion layer growth after SOC testing for 1,000-12,000 h. Aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) was involved to identify the composition and crystal structure of the Sr-Zr rich phase, which was demonstrated to be SrZrO3 phase. After the long-term SOC tests, no SrZrO3 phase or Sr migration through GDC grain boundaries was observed in cells with 5-7 microns thick porous GDC barrier. This presentation will demonstrate how optimization of fabrication conditions, thermal treatment and fabrication techniques, could mitigate the formation of the insulating SrZrO3 phase.