Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 7, 2026

Tuning Oxide Properties by Oxygen Vacancy Control During Growth and Annealing
Published on: June 9, 2023
Atomic structure of a CeO2 grain boundary: the role of oxygen vacancies
Hajime Hojo1, Teruyasu Mizoguchi, Hiromichi Ohta
1Institute of Engineering Innovation, School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan.
Abstract:
Determining both cation and oxygen sublattices of grain boundaries is essential to understand the properties of oxides. Here, with scanning transmission electron microscopy, electron energy-loss spectroscopy, and first-principles calculations, both the Ce and oxygen sublattices of a (210)Σ5 CeO(2) grain boundary were determined. Oxygen vacancies are shown to play a crucial role in the stable grain boundary structure. This finding paves the way for a comprehensive understanding of grain boundaries through the atomic scale determination of atom and defect locations.
Related Concept Videos
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Non-Stoichiometric Defects
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Stoichiometric Point Defects
Ionic Crystal Structures
Most monatomic ions behave as charged spheres, and their attraction for ions of opposite charge is the same in every direction. Consequently, stable structures for ionic compounds result (1) when ions of one charge are surrounded by as many ions as possible of the opposite...
Imperfections in Crystal Structure: Point, Line and Plane Defects
Crystal Field Theory - Octahedral Complexes
To explain the observed behavior of transition metal complexes (such as colors), a model involving electrostatic interactions between the electrons from the ligands and the electrons in the unhybridized d orbitals of the central metal atom has been developed. This electrostatic model is crystal field theory (CFT). It helps to understand, interpret, and predict the colors, magnetic behavior, and some structures of coordination compounds of transition metals.
CFT focuses on...
Electrostatic Boundary Conditions in Dielectrics
Consider a case where both the mediums across a boundary are two different dielectric materials. Recall that the electric field and electric displacement are proportional and related through the material's permittivity.

