Tuning the Schottky Barrier Height at the Interfaces of Metals and Mixed Conductors

Understanding electronic and ionic transport across interfaces is crucial for designing high-performance electric devices. The adjustment of work functions is critical for band alignment at the interfaces of metals and semiconductors. However, the electronic structures at the interfaces of metals and mixed conductors, which conduct both electrons and ions, remain poorly understood. This study reveals that a Schottky barrier is present at the interface of the Nb-doped SrTiO₃ metal and a LiCoO₂ mixed conductor and that the interfacial resistance can be tuned by inserting an electric dipole layer. The interfacial resistance significantly decreased (by more than 5 orders of magnitude) upon the insertion of a 1 nm thick insulating LaAlO₃ layer at the interface. We apply these techniques to solid-state lithium batteries and demonstrate that tuning the electronic energy band alignment by interfacial engineering is applicable to the interfaces of metals and mixed conductors. These results highlight the importance of designing positive electrode and current collector interfaces for solid-state lithium batteries with high power density.