Nanoionics
Encyclopedia
Nanoionics is the study and application of phenomena, properties, effects and mechanisms of processes connected with fast ion
transport (FIT) in all-solid-state nanoscale systems. The topics of interest include fundamental properties of oxide ceramic
s at nanometer length scales, and fast ion conductor
(advanced superionic conductor
)/electronic conductor heterostructures. Potential applications are in electrochemical
devices (electrical double layer devices) for conversion and storage of energy
, charge and information. The term and conception of nanoionics (as a new branch of science) were first introduced by A.L.Despotuli and V.I.Nikolaichik (Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka) in January 1992.
Nanoionics is that branch of nanotechnology,which deals with the study and application of phenomena,properties,effects and mechanisms of processes connected with fast ion transport in all-solid-state nanoscale systems.
There are two classes of solid state ionic nanosystems and two fundamentally different nanoionics: (I) nanosystems based on solids with low ionic conductivity, and (II) nanosystems based on advanced superionic conductors (alpha–AgI
, rubidium silver iodide
–family, etc.). The latter was proposed in. Nanoionics-I and nanoionics-II differ from each other in the design of interfaces. The role of boundaries in nanoionics-I is the creation of conditions for high concentrations of charged defects (vacancies and interstices) in a disordered space-charge layer. But in nanoionics-II, it is necessary to conserve the original highly ionic conductive crystal structures of advanced superionic conductors at ordered (lattice-matched) heteroboundaries. Nanoionic-I can significantly enhance (up to ~108 times) the 2D-like ion conductivity in nanostructured materials with structural coherence, but it is remaining in ~103 times smaller relatively to 3D ionic conductivity of advanced superionic conductors.
Encyclopedic view on nanoionics is also given by short article.
, nanoionics is unambiguously defined by its own objects (nanostructures with FIT), subject matter (properties, phenomena, effects, mechanisms of processes, and applications connected with FIT at nano-scale), method (interface design in nanosystems of superionic conductors), and criterion (R/L ~1, where R is the nanosize(s) of device structure, and L is the characteristic length on which the properties, characteristics, and other parameters (connected with FIT) change drastically.
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
, known throughout the world as the ITRS
, relates nanoionics-based resistive switching memories to the category of "emerging research devices" ("ionic memory"). The area of close intersection of nanoelectronics and nanoionics can be called nanoelionics.
Now, the vision of future nanoelectronics constrained solely by fundamental ultimate limits is being formed in advanced researches. The ultimate physical limits to computation are very far off from the attained «1010 cm-2-1010 Hz» region. What kind of logic switches might be used at the near nm- and sub-nm peta-scale integration? The question was the subject matter already in, where the term “nanoelectronics” was not used yet. Quantum mechanics constrains electronic distinguishable configurations by the tunneling effect at tera-scale. To overcome 1012 cm−2 bit density limit, atomic and ion configurations with acharacteristic dimension of L <2 nm should be used in the information domain and materials with an effective mass of information carriers m* considerably larger than electronic ones are required: m* =13 me at L =1 nm, m* =53 me (L =0,5 nm) and m* =336 me (L =0,2 nm). Future short-sized devices may be nanoionic, i.e. based on the fast ion transport at the nanoscale, as it was first stated in.
s are all-solid-state supercapacitor
s with fast ion transport at the functional heterojunctions (nanoionic supercapacitor
s), lithium batteries and fuel cells with nanostructured electrodes, nano-switches with quantized conductivity on the basis of fast ion conductors (see also programmable metallization cell
). These are well compatible with sub-voltage and deep-sub-voltage nanoelectronics
(see http://www.nanometer.ru/2008/02/08/nanoelektronika_5900.html) and could find wide applications e.g. as in autonomous micro power source
s, RFID, MEMS
, smartdust
, nanomorphic cell
, other micro- and nanosystems, or reconfigurable memory cell
arrays (computer data storage).
An important case of fast ionic conduction in solid states is that in surface space-charge layer of ionic crystals. Such conduction was first predicted by Kurt Lehovec
. A significant role of boundary conditions with respect to ionic conductivity was first experimentally discovered by C.C. Liang who found an anomalously high conduction in the LiI-Al2O3 two-phase system. Because a space-charge layer with specific properties has nanometer thickness, the effect is directly related to nanoionics (nanoionics-I). The Lehovec effect http://www.kurtlehovec.com/ has become the basis for the creation of a multitude of nanostructured fast ion conductor
s which are used in modern portable lithium batteries
and fuel cell
s.
Ion
An ion is an atom or molecule in which the total number of electrons is not equal to the total number of protons, giving it a net positive or negative electrical charge. The name was given by physicist Michael Faraday for the substances that allow a current to pass between electrodes in a...
transport (FIT) in all-solid-state nanoscale systems. The topics of interest include fundamental properties of oxide ceramic
Ceramic
A ceramic is an inorganic, nonmetallic solid prepared by the action of heat and subsequent cooling. Ceramic materials may have a crystalline or partly crystalline structure, or may be amorphous...
s at nanometer length scales, and fast ion conductor
Fast ion conductor
In solid-state ionics, fast ion conductors, also known as solid electrolytes and superionic conductors, are materials that act as solid state ion conductors and are used primarily in solid oxide fuel cells. As solid electrolytes they conduct due to the movement of ions through voids, or empty...
(advanced superionic conductor
Advanced superionic conductor
The term of advanced superionic conductors was first introduced in the paper by A.L.Despotuli, A.V.Andreeva and B.Rambaby.AdSICs are fast ion conductors that have a crystal structure close to optimal for fast ion transport . The rigid ion sublattice of AdSIC has structure channels where mobile...
)/electronic conductor heterostructures. Potential applications are in electrochemical
Electrochemistry
Electrochemistry is a branch of chemistry that studies chemical reactions which take place in a solution at the interface of an electron conductor and an ionic conductor , and which involve electron transfer between the electrode and the electrolyte or species in solution.If a chemical reaction is...
devices (electrical double layer devices) for conversion and storage of energy
Energy
In physics, energy is an indirectly observed quantity. It is often understood as the ability a physical system has to do work on other physical systems...
, charge and information. The term and conception of nanoionics (as a new branch of science) were first introduced by A.L.Despotuli and V.I.Nikolaichik (Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences, Chernogolovka) in January 1992.
Nanoionics is that branch of nanotechnology,which deals with the study and application of phenomena,properties,effects and mechanisms of processes connected with fast ion transport in all-solid-state nanoscale systems.
There are two classes of solid state ionic nanosystems and two fundamentally different nanoionics: (I) nanosystems based on solids with low ionic conductivity, and (II) nanosystems based on advanced superionic conductors (alpha–AgI
AGI
AGI may refer to:* Alliance Graphique Internationale* Adjusted Gross Income* Adventure Game Interpreter, used by Sierra On-Line in the 1980s.* Agenzia Giornalistica Italia, an Italian news agency....
, rubidium silver iodide
Rubidium silver iodide
Rubidium silver iodide is a ternary inorganic compound with the formula RbAg4I5. It is an unusual solid where the electrical conductivity involves movement of silver ions within the crystal lattice...
–family, etc.). The latter was proposed in. Nanoionics-I and nanoionics-II differ from each other in the design of interfaces. The role of boundaries in nanoionics-I is the creation of conditions for high concentrations of charged defects (vacancies and interstices) in a disordered space-charge layer. But in nanoionics-II, it is necessary to conserve the original highly ionic conductive crystal structures of advanced superionic conductors at ordered (lattice-matched) heteroboundaries. Nanoionic-I can significantly enhance (up to ~108 times) the 2D-like ion conductivity in nanostructured materials with structural coherence, but it is remaining in ~103 times smaller relatively to 3D ionic conductivity of advanced superionic conductors.
Encyclopedic view on nanoionics is also given by short article.
Characteristics
Being a branch of science and nanotechnologyNanotechnology
Nanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
, nanoionics is unambiguously defined by its own objects (nanostructures with FIT), subject matter (properties, phenomena, effects, mechanisms of processes, and applications connected with FIT at nano-scale), method (interface design in nanosystems of superionic conductors), and criterion (R/L ~1, where R is the nanosize(s) of device structure, and L is the characteristic length on which the properties, characteristics, and other parameters (connected with FIT) change drastically.
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors
The International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors is a set of documents produced by a group of semiconductor industry experts. These experts are representative of the sponsoring organisations which include the Semiconductor Industry Associations of the US, Europe, Japan, South Korea and...
, known throughout the world as the ITRS
ITRS
ITRS or ItRS can refer to:* International Terrestrial Reference System for creating earth measurement reference frames.* International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors, an international body for guiding the semiconductor industry....
, relates nanoionics-based resistive switching memories to the category of "emerging research devices" ("ionic memory"). The area of close intersection of nanoelectronics and nanoionics can be called nanoelionics.
Now, the vision of future nanoelectronics constrained solely by fundamental ultimate limits is being formed in advanced researches. The ultimate physical limits to computation are very far off from the attained «1010 cm-2-1010 Hz» region. What kind of logic switches might be used at the near nm- and sub-nm peta-scale integration? The question was the subject matter already in, where the term “nanoelectronics” was not used yet. Quantum mechanics constrains electronic distinguishable configurations by the tunneling effect at tera-scale. To overcome 1012 cm−2 bit density limit, atomic and ion configurations with acharacteristic dimension of L <2 nm should be used in the information domain and materials with an effective mass of information carriers m* considerably larger than electronic ones are required: m* =13 me at L =1 nm, m* =53 me (L =0,5 nm) and m* =336 me (L =0,2 nm). Future short-sized devices may be nanoionic, i.e. based on the fast ion transport at the nanoscale, as it was first stated in.
Examples
The examples of nanoionic deviceNanoionic device
Nanoionic devices belong to a new class of solid state devices operating due to fast ion transport at nano-scale. The examples of such devices are nano-switches with quantum conductance, and nanoionic supercapacitors with coherent heterojunctions....
s are all-solid-state supercapacitor
Supercapacitor
An electric double-layer capacitor , also known as supercapacitor, supercondenser, electrochemical double layer capacitor, or ultracapacitor, is an electrochemical capacitor with relatively high energy density. Their energy density is typically hundreds of times greater than conventional...
s with fast ion transport at the functional heterojunctions (nanoionic supercapacitor
Nanoionic supercapacitor
Nanoionic supercapacitors belong to new class of nanoionic devices, i.e. devices operating due to fast ion transport at nano-scale. An example of such a device is a nanoionic switch with quantum conductance. All solid state micrometre sized supercapacitors; based on advanced superionic conductors...
s), lithium batteries and fuel cells with nanostructured electrodes, nano-switches with quantized conductivity on the basis of fast ion conductors (see also programmable metallization cell
Programmable metallization cell
The programmable metallization cell, or PMC, is a new form of non-volatile computer memory being developed at Arizona State University and its spinoff, Axon Technologies....
). These are well compatible with sub-voltage and deep-sub-voltage nanoelectronics
Deep-sub-voltage nanoelectronics
Deep-sub-voltage nanoelectronics are integrated circuits operating near theoretical limits of energy consumption per unit of processing. These devices are intended to address the needs of applications such as wireless sensor networks which have dramatically different requirements from traditional...
(see http://www.nanometer.ru/2008/02/08/nanoelektronika_5900.html) and could find wide applications e.g. as in autonomous micro power source
Micro power source
Micro power sources and nano power sources are units of RFID, MEMS, microsystems and nanosystems for energy-power generation, harvesting from ambient, storage and conversion.-References:...
s, RFID, MEMS
Microelectromechanical systems
Microelectromechanical systems is the technology of very small mechanical devices driven by electricity; it merges at the nano-scale into nanoelectromechanical systems and nanotechnology...
, smartdust
Smartdust
Smartdust is a hypothetical system of many tiny microelectromechanical systems such as sensors, robots, or other devices, that can detect, for example, light, temperature, vibration, magnetism or chemicals; are usually networked wirelessly; and are distributed over some area to perform tasks,...
, nanomorphic cell
Nanomorphic cell
The Nanomorphic Cell [1] is a conception of an atomic-level, integrated, self-sustaining microsystem with five main functions: internal energy supply, sensing, actuation, computation and communication. Atomic level integration provides the ultimate functionality per unit volume for microsystems...
, other micro- and nanosystems, or reconfigurable memory cell
Memory cell
Memory cell may refer to:* Memory cell, a building block of computer data storage*Memory B cell, an antibody producing cell*Memory T cell, an infection fighting cell...
arrays (computer data storage).
An important case of fast ionic conduction in solid states is that in surface space-charge layer of ionic crystals. Such conduction was first predicted by Kurt Lehovec
Kurt Lehovec
Kurt Lehovec is one of the pioneers of the integrated circuit, 1959. He innovated the concept of p-n junction isolation used in every circuit element with a guard ring: a reverse-biased p-n junction surrounding the planar periphery of that element. This patent was assigned to Sprague Electric...
. A significant role of boundary conditions with respect to ionic conductivity was first experimentally discovered by C.C. Liang who found an anomalously high conduction in the LiI-Al2O3 two-phase system. Because a space-charge layer with specific properties has nanometer thickness, the effect is directly related to nanoionics (nanoionics-I). The Lehovec effect http://www.kurtlehovec.com/ has become the basis for the creation of a multitude of nanostructured fast ion conductor
Fast ion conductor
In solid-state ionics, fast ion conductors, also known as solid electrolytes and superionic conductors, are materials that act as solid state ion conductors and are used primarily in solid oxide fuel cells. As solid electrolytes they conduct due to the movement of ions through voids, or empty...
s which are used in modern portable lithium batteries
Lithium battery
Lithium batteries are disposable batteries that have lithium metal or lithium compounds as an anode. Depending on the design and chemical compounds used, lithium cells can produce voltages from 1.5 V to about 3.7 V, over twice the voltage of an ordinary zinc–carbon battery or alkaline battery...
and fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
s.