An embodiment of the present invention pertains to an electrode that includes
a metal oxide layer, and a conductive layer on that metal oxide layer. The metal
oxide layer is an alkali metal oxide or an alkaline earth metal oxide that is formed
by: (1) decomposing a compound that includes (a) oxygen and (b) an alkali metal
or an alkaline earth metal, or (2) thermally reacting at least two compounds where
one of the at least two compounds includes the alkali metal or the alkaline earth
metal, and another one of the at least two compounds includes oxygen. The metal
oxide layer can also be formed by thermally reacting at least two compounds where
one of those compounds includes (a) oxygen and (b) an alkali metal or an alkaline
earth metal.