Application Solid Oxide Fuel cells operating at temperatures below 800 C (also known as intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cell, IT-SOFC) are currently the topic of much research and development owing to the high degradation rates and materials costs incurred for SOFC operating at temperatures above 900 C. Thin films of electrode and electrolyte layers is one of the ways to achieve high performances in IT-SOFC. Yttrium sputtering target can be used for physical vapor deposition of thin films of yttria stabilized zirconia layers for IT-SOFC. Yttrium containing thin films also find applications as thermal barrier and protective coatings, example in thermoelectric devices.