Ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism and ferroelasticity are ferroic properties that have triggered extensive research interest and found their way into a vast variety of applications. Ferroic oxides are important functional materials for a wide range of ceramic-based devices, e.g. magnetic cores, capacitors and piezoelectric components. In these applications different properties are frequently linked and the understanding of the coupling between ferroelectricity and ferroelasticity, for example, is key for the improvement of the performance of piezoelectric ceramics. Other inter-relationships among the ferroic properties are associated with the phenomena of magnetostriction, magnetoresistance and thermoelectricity. With introduction of the multilayer technology with thinner and thinner ceramic layers the major research and development targets shifted to the improvement of the materials stability under electric field, the thermal management under operation and the co-firing with base metals in order to replace expensive noble metals. This trend still continues and materials development needs more and more sophisticated concepts and deeper understanding of the basic mechanisms in order to achieve the needs of upcoming applications. With this application we intend to establish a laboratory with the general purpose of research and development on advanced ferroic materials, backed up by the investigation and understanding of the defect chemistry of such materials thus providing a basis for new and improved electronic components for future applications. The main focus will be on the search for new concepts for the structural modification of ferroic materials with respect not only to their primary properties but also to their compatibility in multilayer metal-ceramic composites and their long term stability under electric field. This comprises the synthesis of materials employing new ideas for the coupling of ferroic properties, the investigation of the defect chemistry and defect kinetics including their effect on the materials functionality, and the understanding and improvement of materials stability under electrical and thermal load. According to the strategic road map of our industrial partner the investigations will start on lead-based and lead-free piezoelectric materials and will be broadened progressively. EPCOS OHG in Deutschlandsberg, Austria, is the biggest producer of electroceramic components in Europe and transfers all of the above mentioned classes of ferroic oxides into successful products such as multilayer capacitors, multilayer actuators and ferrite components. This company maintains the world¿s largest mass production of piezoelectric multilayer actuators for automotive fuel injection systems which proves the high level of development, processing and manufacturing. To achieve the aims of this proposal we want to link the expertise of two university institutions and the above mentioned industrial partner and can provide excellent facilities such as a well equipped ceramic laboratory, sophisticated analysis tools (TOF-SIMS, Micro- Impedance-Analysis) and pilot plant stations. The materials synthesis and basic structural and electrical characterization will be carried out at the Institute of Chemistry and Technology of Inorganic Materials at Graz University of Technology. Measurements dealing with the distribution of trace elements (dopants and impurities) as well as the investigation of the defect chemistry including analyzing and modeling of degradation mechanisms will be performed at the Institute of Chemical Technologies and Analytics at Vienna University of Technology. EPCOS OHG will cover the preparation of multilayer samples with co-fired inner electrodes and the long-term testing (e.g. highly accelerated life time testing).