Rectifying contact of hydrated YSZ nanoparticles for future electronics

The development of next-generation electronics requires new paradigms beyond conventional semiconductor junctions, particularly at the nanoscale where interfaces and defects dominate transport. In this work, we demonstrate that diode-like behaviour and nonlinear charge transport can emerge in structurally identical yttria-stabilised zirconia (YSZ) nanoparticles, driven solely by interfacial hydration and nanoscale polarisation effects. Using controlled nanojunctions formed between thin layers and droplet-like contacts, we reveal that proton conduction is governed by humidity-dependent interfacial potentials and oxygen-vacancy-mediated transport pathways.

These findings establish a fundamentally new approach for designing oxide-based nanoelectronic devices, including protonic diodes, adaptive materials, and radiation- and humidity-sensitive systems. The work opens a pathway toward energy-efficient, defect-engineered electronics of the future, where functionality is controlled by nanoscale structure, hydration, and interfacial complexity rather than traditional semiconductor architectures.