Structure-functional property relationships in rf-sputtered vanadium dioxide thin films

The study of metal-insulator transition (MIT) in VO2 thin films synthesized by means of rf sputtering from a VO2 target is presented. A comparison with conventional reactive sputtering from a V target is also given. Detailed x-ray diffraction analysis, electrical resistance switching, and infrared optical reflectance measurements confirm that our sputtering technique yields high-quality VO2 films. We discuss in depth how synthesis conditions affect MIT parameters derived from temperature dependence of electrical resistance. Sharp MIT is observed in films sputtered on technologically important Si substrates. The choice of Si (or sapphire) substrates results in the transition temperature above (below) the values obtained for single VO2 crystals. The MIT becomes narrower and stronger in thinner films. This is consistent with the assumption that the increased width of the MIT in thin films with respect to single crystals is the result of averaging of the transition parameters over a distribution of crystallit...

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