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Title: Large modification in insulator-metal transition of VO{sub 2} films grown on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (001) by high energy ion irradiation in biased reactive sputtering

Journal Article · · Journal of Applied Physics
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4941348· OSTI ID:22494989
;  [1]; ;  [2]; ;  [3]
  1. Graduate School of Science and Technology, Tokai University, Hiratsuka 259-1292 (Japan)
  2. Graduate School of Frontier Biosciences, Osaka University, Suita 565-0871 (Japan)
  3. GREMAN, UMR 7347 CNRS, Université François Rabelais de Tours, Parc de Grandmont, 37200 Tours (France)

High energy ion irradiation in biased reactive sputtering enabled significant modification of insulator-metal transition (IMT) properties of VO{sub 2} films grown on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (001). Even at a high biasing voltage with mean ion energy of around 325 eV induced by the rf substrate biasing power of 40 W, VO{sub 2} film revealed low IMT temperature (T{sub IMT}) at 309 K (36 °C) together with nearly two orders magnitude of resistance change. Raman measurements from −193 °C evidenced that the monoclinic VO{sub 2} lattice begins to transform to rutile-tetragonal lattice near room temperature. Raman spectra showed the in-plane compressive stress in biased VO{sub 2} films, which results in shortening of V–V distance along a-axis of monoclinic structure, a{sub M}-axis (c{sub R}-axis) and thus lowering the T{sub IMT}. In respect to that matter, significant effects in shortening the in-plane axis were observed through transmission electron microscopy observations. V2p{sub 3/2} spectra from XPS measurements suggested that high energy ion irradiation also induced oxygen vacancies and resulted for an early transition onset and rather broader transition properties. Earlier band gap closing against the temperature in VO{sub 2} film with higher biasing power was also probed by ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. Present results with significant modification of IMT behavior of films deposited at high-energy ion irradiation with T{sub IMT} near the room temperature could be a newly and effective approach to both exploring mechanisms of IMT and further applications of this material, due to the fixed deposition conditions and rather thicker VO{sub 2} films.

OSTI ID:
22494989
Journal Information:
Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 119, Issue 5; Other Information: (c) 2016 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English