Abstract: Methods for tailoring an oxygen defect concentration, such as oxygen vacancies, in a transition metal oxide and the resulting materials are provided. An epitaxial strain, such as in the form of a biaxial tensile strain of up to 5%, is applied to the transition metal oxide to increase the oxygen defect concentration in the transition metal oxide to result in a product comprising the transition metal oxide having an increased oxygen defect concentration.

Abstract: Rapid, reversible redox activity may be accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures, as low as about 200° C., from epitaxially stabilized, oxygen vacancy ordered SrCoO2.5 and thermodynamically unfavorable perovskite SrCoO3-?. The fast, low temperature redox activity in SrCoO3-? may be attributed to a small Gibbs free energy difference between the two topotactic phases. Epitaxially stabilized thin films of strontium cobaltite provide a catalyst adapted to rapidly transition between oxidation states at substantially low temperatures. Methods of transitioning a strontium cobaltite catalyst from a first oxidation state to a second oxidation state are described.

Abstract: Rapid, reversible redox activity may be accomplished at significantly reduced temperatures, as low as about 200° C., from epitaxially stabilized, oxygen vacancy ordered SrCoO2.5 and thermodynamically unfavorable perovskite SrCoO3-?. The fast, low temperature redox activity in SrCoO3-? may be attributed to a small Gibbs free energy difference between the two topotactic phases. Epitaxially stabilized thin films of strontium cobaltite provide a catalyst adapted to rapidly transition between oxidation states at substantially low temperatures. Methods of transitioning a strontium cobaltite catalyst from a first oxidation state to a second oxidation state are described.

Abstract: A transition metal oxide insulator composition having a tuned band gap includes a transition metal oxide having a perovskite or a perovskite-like crystalline structure. The transition metal oxide includes at least one first element selected from the group of Bi, Ca, Ba, Sr, Li, Na, Mg, K, Pb, and Pr; and at least one second element selected from the group of Ti, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt. At least one correlated insulator is integrated into the crystalline structure, including REMO3, wherein RE is at least one Rare Earth element, and wherein M is at least one element selected from the group of Co, V, Cr, Ni, Mn, and Fe. The composition is characterized by a band gap of less than 4.5 eV.

Abstract: A transition metal oxide insulator composition having a tuned band gap includes a transition metal oxide having a perovskite or a perovskite-like crystalline structure. The transition metal oxide includes at least one first element selected from the group of Bi, Ca, Ba, Sr, Li, Na, Mg, K, Pb, and Pr; and at least one second element selected from the group of Ti, Al, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zr, Nb, Mo, Ru, Rh, Pd, Hf, Ta, W, Re, Os, Ir, and Pt. At least one correlated insulator is integrated into the crystalline structure, including REMO3, wherein RE is at least one Rare Earth element, and wherein M is at least one element selected from the group of Co, V, Cr, Ni, Mn, and Fe. The composition is characterized by a band gap of less than 4.5 eV.

Abstract: A tunneling element includes a thin film layer of ferroelectric material and a pair of dissimilar electrically-conductive layers disposed on opposite sides of the ferroelectric layer. Because of the dissimilarity in composition or construction between the electrically-conductive layers, the electron transport behavior of the electrically-conductive layers is polarization dependent when the tunneling element is below the Curie temperature of the layer of ferroelectric material. The element can be used as a basis of compact 1R type non-volatile random access memory (RAM). The advantages include extremely simple architecture, ultimate scalability and fast access times generic for all ferroelectric memories.

Abstract: A method for switching the direction of polarization in a relatively small domain in a thin-film ferroelectric material whose direction of polarization is oriented normal to the surface of the material involves a step of moving an electrically-chargeable tip into contact with the surface of the ferroelectric material so that the direction of polarization in a region adjacent the tip becomes oriented in a preselected direction relative to the surface of the ferroelectric material. The tip is then pressed against the surface of the ferroelectric material so that the direction of polarization of the ferroelectric material within the area of the ferroelectric material in contact with the tip is reversed under the combined effect of the compressive influence of the tip and electric bias.

Abstract: A structure containing a ferroelectric material comprises a substrate such as silicon, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, and a non-c-axis-oriented, electrically-conductive template layer formed on the buffer layer. The template layer comprises a perovskite oxide compound. An epitaxially a-axis-oriented ferroelectric layer is formed on the template layer, and has a vector of spontaneous polarization oriented perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the film normal.

Abstract: A structure containing a ferroelectric material comprises a substrate comprising silicon, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, and a non-c-axis-oriented, electrically-conductive template layer formed on the buffer layer. The template layer comprises a perovskite oxide compound. A non-c-axis-oriented, anisotropic perovskite ferroelectric layer is formed on the template layer.

Abstract: A structure containing a ferroelectric material comprises a substrate such as silicon, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, and a non-c-axis-oriented, electrically-conductive template layer formed on the buffer layer. The template layer comprises a perovskite oxide compound. An epitaxially a-axis-oriented ferroelectric layer is formed on the template layer, and has a vector of spontaneous polarization oriented perpendicular or at least substantially perpendicular to the film normal.

Abstract: A structure containing a ferroelectric material comprises a substrate comprising silicon, a buffer layer formed on the substrate, and a non-c-axis-oriented, electrically-conductive template layer formed on the buffer layer. The template layer comprises a perovskite oxide compound. A non-c-axis-oriented, anisotropic perovskite ferroelectric layer is formed on the template layer.