Correlating Structural Properties with Catalytic Stability in Nanocrystalline La(Sr)CoO3 Thin Films Grown by Pulsed Electron Deposition (PED)

This study investigates the structural, morphological, and gas-sensing properties of pure and strontium-doped lanthanum cobaltite (La_1-xSr_xCoO₃) perovskite thin films obtained by Pulsed Electron Deposition (PED). This sustainable ablative technique successfully produced high-quality, dense, nanocrystalline films on Si and MgO substrates, demonstrating excellent stoichiometric transfer from the source targets. A comprehensive analysis using XRD, SEM, TEM, AFM, and XPS was conducted to characterize the films. The results show that Sr-doping significantly refines the microstructure, leading to smaller crystallites and a more uniform surface topography. Gas sensing measurements, performed in a temperature range of 100-450 °C, revealed that all films exhibit a characteristic p-type semiconductor response to nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). The La_0.8Sr_0.2CoO₃ composition, in particular, demonstrated the most promising performance, with enhanced sensitivity and excellent operational stability at temperatures up to 350 °C. These findings validate that PED is a reliable and precise method for fabricating complex oxide films and confirm that Sr-doped LaCoO₃ is a highly promising material for developing high-temperature NO₂ gas sensors.