A dive into the labyrinth of Schottky defects

Schottky defects, discovered by Walter H. Schottky in 1938, are crystalline imperfections that play a crucial role in the properties of materials. These defects, which result from the loss of atoms in a crystalline structure, affect the electrical conductivity, mechanical strength, optical and catalytic properties of materials. Understanding and controlling these defects are major challenges in many fields of science and technology, including materials engineering, electronics, catalysis and emerging technologies such as quantum computing and photonic devices. Current research is exploring the potential applications of Schottky defects, while also seeking to develop new materials and techniques to optimize their use in various fields of application.