Diffusion in bicrystals was investigated by using resistive anode secondary-ion mass spectrometry. Diffusion profiles of 18O for the bulk, grain boundaries and dislocations were deduced separately from the 3-dimensional distribution of 18O in the bicrystals. The volume diffusion of O was found to depend upon the Nb dopant concentration, the crystallographic orientation and the presence of non-equilibrium O defects that were annihilated by annealing. Features of 18O diffusion images along the dislocations in (100) and (110) bicrystals could be explained by dislocation arrays which were introduced by mechanical polishing.

Oxygen Diffusion along the Short-Circuit Paths in Bicrystalline SrTiO3. I.Sakaguchi, M.Komatsu, A.Watanabe, R.Haneda: Journal of Materials Research, 2000, 15[12], 2598-601