EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) study of yttria stabilized cubic zirconia

EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) studies of cubic (ZrO/sub 2/)/sub 1-x/(Y/sub 2/O/sub 3/)/sub x/ are reported for the concentration range 0.09 < x < 0.4. When the trivalent Y ions are substituted for the tetravalent Zr ions, O/sup 2 -/ vacancies are also introduced for charge compensation. However, the distribution of the O/sup 2 -/ vacancies in the structure is not known. In this EXAFS study, systematics of disorder and vacancy distribution on the oxygen sublattice are monitored from both the Zr and Y sites as Y, and hence O/sup 2 -/ vacancy content, is varied. It is observed that oxygen vacancies occur adjacent to both Y and Zr ions but preferentially in proximity to Zr. 18 refs., 8 figs.