Observation of Hybrid Solid Solution and Superior Energy Storage in 0.8Ba(zr0.35ti0.65)o3-0.2Zno Films

Unusual substitutional and interstitial solid solutions were observed in (1-x)Ba(Zr0.35Ti0.65)O-3-xZnO thin films, where one Zn2+ cation substituted one B-site Zr4+/Ti4+ site and two Zn2+ cations substituted one A-site Ba2+ site simultaneously. Such a hybrid solid solution with an appropriate ZnO content remarkably increases both the electric breakdown strength (E-b) by widening the bandgap and the energy storage efficiency (?) by suppressing the hysteresis of the ferroelectric loop. As a result, the films with x = 0.2 show superior energy storage performance with a recoverable energy storage density (W-rec) of 130.3 J/cm(3) and ? of 89.1%. This work confirms the feasibility of forming an unconventional hybrid solid solution, which may shed light on further work on perovskite oxides with improved ferroic functionalities.