Direct determination of the Fe3+/2+ charge-transition level in BaTiO3 and isovalently substituted Ba0.82Ca0.18Ti0.92Zr0.08O3 by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

S Savita Chaoudhary (Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,) A Anna M. Paulik (Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials 2 , 8010 Graz,) N Niklas Bertelmann (Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,) D Denis Sudarikov (Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,) P Pengcheng Hu K Katharina N. S. Lohaus (Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,) L Lisanne Gossel (Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,) M Melissa A. Larsson (Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,) H Hebatallah Ali (Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy Technologies, Fundamental Electrochemistry 3 , 52425 Jülich,) R Raoul Blume J Jurij Koruza (Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials 2 , 8010 Graz,) A Andreas Klein (Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States)

Abstract

Charge-transition levels of dopants in oxides and other semiconductors are key factors affecting a wide range of material properties. Despite their importance, only very few charge-transition levels are known quantitatively. This work aims to validate the direct experimental determination of charge-transition levels of dopants in oxides by means of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The approach is used to derive the energy level associated with the Fe3+/2+ transition, which is determined as 2.45±0.05 eV and 2.65±0.05eV above the valence band maximum of BaTiO3 and Ba0.82Ca0.18Ti0.92Zr0.08O3, respectively. The former agrees with thermogravimetric and electric measurements. The results consolidate that XPS is a versatile and reliable technique to experimentally determine charge-transition levels, which can be used to reveal systematic dependencies on concentration, temperature, and host material. It is further demonstrated that high-temperature near-ambient pressure XPS performed at a synchrotron is ideally suited for the determination of charge-transition levels.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 139, Issue 9
Published March 07, 2026
ISSN 0021-8979
Publisher American Institute of Physics

Journal Info

Journal of Applied Physics

American Institute of Physics

ISSN: 0021-8979 Physical Sciences

Authors (12)

S

Savita Chaoudhary

Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,

A

Anna M. Paulik

Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials 2 , 8010 Graz,

N

Niklas Bertelmann

Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,

D

Denis Sudarikov

Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,

P

Pengcheng Hu

K

Katharina N. S. Lohaus

Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,

L

Lisanne Gossel

Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,

M

Melissa A. Larsson

Technical University of Darmstadt, Institute of Materials Science, Electronic Structure of Materials 1 , 64287 Darmstadt,

H

Hebatallah Ali

Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy Technologies, Fundamental Electrochemistry 3 , 52425 Jülich,

R

Raoul Blume

J

Jurij Koruza

Graz University of Technology, Institute for Chemistry and Technology of Materials 2 , 8010 Graz,

A

Andreas Klein

Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, United States