SIMS analysis of multi-diffusion profiles of lanthanides in stabilized zirconias

To get an insight into the mechanism of cation diffusion in yttria stabilized zirconia (YSZ), the diffusion of all stable lanthanides was measured simultaneously. It was possible to identify all lanthanides with SIMS and perform depth profile analysis to get the bulk diffusion coefficients between 1270 and 1700 deg. C. From the analysis of the radius-dependency of the cation diffusion of the lanthanides, it was possible to show that the diffusion of the lanthanides is the slowest when their radius is similar to the radius of the stabilized cation (yttrium)