Nanoionics of advanced superionic conductors

New scientific direction — nanoionics of advanced superionic conductors (ASICs) was proposed. Nanosystems of solid state ionics were divided onto two classes differing by an opposite influence of crystal structure defects on the ionic conductivity σ_i (energy activationE): I) nanosystems on the base compounds with initial small σ_i (large values ofE); and II) nanosystems of ASICs (nano-ASICs) withE ≈0.1 eV. The fundamental challenge of nanoionics as the conservation of fast ion transport (FIT) in nano-ASICs on the level of bulk crystal was first recognized and for the providing of FIT in nano-ASICs the conception of structure-ordered (coherent) ASIC//indifferent electrode (IE) heteroboundaries was proposed. Nano-ASIC characteristic parameterP=d/λ _Q (d is the thickness of ASIC layer with the defect crystal structure at the heteroboundary, and λ _Q is the screening length of charge for mobile ions of the bulk of ASIC) was introduced. The criterion for a conservation of FIT in nano-ASIC isP≈1. It was shown that at the equilibrium conditions the contact potentialsV at the ASIC//IE coherent heterojunctions in nano-ASICs areV«k _BT/e. Interface engineering approach “from advanced materials to advanced devices” was proposed as fundamentals for the development of applied nanoionics. The possibility for creation on the base of ASIC//IE coherent heterojunctions of the efficient energy and power devices (sensors and supercapacitors with specific capacity ≈10^?4 F/cm² and maximal frequencies 10⁹–10⁰ Hz,) suited for micro(nano)electronics, microsystem technology and 5 Gbit DRAM was pointed out.