Fig. 4

First-principles calculations performed on stoichiometric CeO2 and non-stoichiometric CeO1.5. a Structural projections along the [100] and [110] directions for stoichiometric CeO2. b Structural projections along the [100] and [110] directions for non-stoichiometric CeO1.5, where the \(V_O^{ \bullet \bullet }\) are self-organised into clustered one-dimensional tunnels oriented in the [001] direction. c Effect of \([V_O^{ \bullet \bullet }]\) on calculated spin-polarised total density of electronic states, showing spin-up (positive) and spin-down (negative) regions (Fermi energy levels shifted to zero). d Structural projections along the [100] direction for stoichiometric CeO2 and non-stoichiometric CeO1.5; surfaces of identical electronic charge are highlighted with blue colour; the electronic density increases around the Ce ions, which are located near the oxygen vacancies, compared to the stoichiometric system. Large yellow and small red spheres represent Ce and O ions, respectively