Identification number: LZP-2025/1-0342
Type: Latvian Council of Science Fundamental and Applied Research project
Duration: 01.01.2026. - 31.12.2028.
Project Leader: Dr. Juris Purans, Institute of Solid State Physics University of Latvia (ISSP UL)
Total funding: 300 000 EUR
Project summary:
This project advances the frontier of functional materials by developing a new class of yttrium-based mixed-anion thin films, where oxygen, hydrogen, and nitrogen are combined within a single crystalline lattice. By moving beyond conventional single-anion materials, the project introduces additional control over electronic structure, optical response, and chemical stability, opening new pathways for materials design.
Using reactive magnetron sputtering, a scalable and industry-relevant deposition technique, the research will establish stable and reproducible synthesis routes for previously unexplored compounds, including yttrium oxynitride (YON), yttrium nitride-hydride (YHN), and the entirely new triple-anion system YHNO. Comprehensive structural, chemical, optical, and functional characterization will reveal how anion combinations govern photochromic, electrical, and photocatalytic properties at the atomic scale.
A key scientific goal is to surpass the performance limits of state-of-the-art yttrium oxyhydride photochromic films by increasing optical contrast, accelerating switching speed, and improving long-term environmental stability. The project will also explore photocatalytic functionality, linking mixed-anion chemistry to light-driven environmental and energy processes.
The results will strengthen the scientific foundation of next-generation smart coatings, particularly for energy-efficient glazing that dynamically regulates solar heat and light without external power input. By relying on scalable thin-film technology compatible with large-area and flexible substrates, the project directly supports industrial implementation and technology transfer. In the longer term, the developed materials and processes can contribute to reduced energy consumption in buildings, cleaner environments through photocatalysis, and the growth of high-value smart materials research and innovation in Latvia and Europe.