Single-Crystalline Vanadium Dioxide Nanowires with Rectangular Cross Sections

Recent progress on topological semimetal IrO2: electronic structures, synthesis, and transport properties

5dtransition metal oxides, such as iridates, have attracted significant interest in condensed matter physics throughout the past decade owing to their fascinating physical properties that arise from intrinsically strong spin-orbit coupling (SOC) and its interplay with other interactions of comparable energy scales. Among the rich family of iridates, iridium dioxide (IrO2), a simple binary compound long known as a promising catalyst for water splitting, has recently been demonstrated to possess novel topological states and exotic transport properties. The strong SOC and the nonsymmorphic symmetry that IrO2possesses introduce symmetry-protected Dirac nodal lines (DNLs) within its band structure as well as a large spin Hall effect in the transport. Here, we review recent advances pertaining to the study of this unique SOC oxide, with an emphasis on the understanding of the topological electronic structures, syntheses of high crystalline quality nanostructures, and experimental measurements of its fundamental transport properties. In particular, the theoretical origin of the presence of the fourfold degenerate DNLs in band structure and its implications in the angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurement and in the spin Hall effect are discussed. We further introduce a variety of synthesis techniques to achieve IrO2nanostructures, such as epitaxial thin films and single crystalline nanowires, with the goal of understanding the roles that each key parameter plays in the growth process. Finally, we review the electrical, spin, and thermal transport studies. The transport properties under variable temperatures and magnetic fields reveal themselves to be uniquely sensitive and modifiable by strain, dimensionality (bulk, thin film, nanowire), quantum confinement, film texture, and disorder. The sensitivity, stemming from the competing energy scales of SOC, disorder, and other interactions, enables the creation of a variety of intriguing quantum states of matter.

Thermally Reconfigurable, 3D Chiral Optical Metamaterials: Building with Colloidal Nanoparticle Assemblies

The three-dimensional, geometric handedness of chiral optical metamaterials allows for the rotation of linearly polarized light and creates a differential interaction with right and left circularly polarized light, known as circular dichroism. These three-dimensional metamaterials enable polarization control of optical and spin excitation and detection, and their stimuli-responsive, dynamic switching widens applications in chiral molecular sensing and imaging and spintronics; however, there are few reconfigurable solid-state implementations. Here, we report all-solid-state, thermally reconfigurable chiroptical metamaterials composed of arrays of three-dimensional nanoparticle/metal bilayer heterostructures fabricated from coassemblies of phase change VO2 and metallic Au colloidal nanoparticles and thin films of Ni. These metamaterials show dynamic switching in the mid-infrared as VO2 is thermally cycled through an insulator-metal phase transition. The spectral range of operation is tailored in breadth by controlling the periodicity of the arrays and thus the hybridization of optical modes and in position through the mixing of VO2 and Au nanoparticles.

Chemical Modulation of Metal-Insulator Transition toward Multifunctional Applications in Vanadium Dioxide Nanostructures

The metal-insulator transition (MIT) of vanadium dioxide (VO2 ) has been of great interest in materials science for both fundamental understanding of strongly correlated physics and a wide range of applications in optics, thermotics, spintronics, and electronics. Due to the merits of chemical interaction with accessibility, versatility, and tunability, chemical modification provides a new perspective to regulate the MIT of VO2 , endowing VO2 with exciting properties and improved functionalities. In the past few years, plenty of efforts have been devoted to exploring innovative chemical approaches for the synthesis and MIT modulation of VO2 nanostructures, greatly contributing to the understanding of electronic correlations and development of MIT-driven functionalities. Here, this comprehensive review summarizes the recent achievements in chemical synthesis of VO2 and its MIT modulation involving hydrogen incorporation, composition engineering, surface modification, and electrochemical gating. The newly appearing phenomena, mechanism of electronic correlation, and structural instability are discussed. Furthermore, progresses related to MIT-driven applications are presented, such as the smart window, optoelectronic detector, thermal microactuator, thermal radiation coating, spintronic device, memristive, and neuromorphic device. Finally, the challenges and prospects in future research of chemical modulation and functional applications of VO2 MIT are also provided.

Enhanced Electron Correlation and Significantly Suppressed Thermal Conductivity in Dirac Nodal-Line Metal Nanowires by Chemical Doping

Enhancing electron correlation in a weakly interacting topological system has great potential to promote correlated topological states of matter with extraordinary quantum properties. Here, the enhancement of electron correlation in a prototypical topological metal, namely iridium dioxide (IrO₂ ), via doping with 3d transition metal vanadium is demonstrated. Single-crystalline vanadium-doped IrO₂ nanowires are synthesized through chemical vapor deposition where the nanowire yield and morphology are improved by creating rough surfaces on substrates. Vanadium doping leads to a dramatic decrease in Raman intensity without notable peak broadening, signifying the enhancement of electron correlation. The enhanced electron correlation is further evidenced by transport studies where the electrical resistivity is greatly increased and follows an unusual T $\sqrt T $ dependence on the temperature (T). The lattice thermal conductivity is suppressed by an order of magnitude via doping even at room temperature where phonon-impurity scattering becomes less important. Density functional theory calculations suggest that the remarkable reduction of thermal conductivity arises from the complex phonon dispersion and reduced energy gap between phonon branches, which greatly enhances phase space for phonon-phonon Umklapp scattering. This work demonstrates a unique system combining 3d and 5d transition metals in isostructural materials to enrich the system with various types of interactions.

Thermal Conductivity of VO2 Nanowires at Metal-Insulator Transition Temperature

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanowires endowed with a dramatic metal-insulator transition have attracted enormous attention. Here, the thermal conductance of VO2 nanowires with different sizes, measured using the thermal bridge method, is reported. A size-dependent thermal conductivity was observed where the thicker nanowire showed a higher thermal conductivity. Meanwhile, the thermal conductivity jump at metal-insulator transition temperature was measured to be much higher in the thicker samples. The dominant heat carriers were phonons both at the metallic and the insulating regimes in the measured samples, which may result from the coexistence of metal and insulator phases at high temperature. Our results provide a window into exploring the mechanism of the metal-insulator transition of VO2 nanowires.

Surfaces of VO2 -Polymorphs: Structure, Stability and the Effect of Doping

Vanadium dioxide is an interesting and frequently applied material due to its metal‐insulator phase transition. However, there are only few studies of the catalytic activity and surface properties of different VO₂ polymorphs. Therefore, we investigated the properties of the surfaces of the most stable VO₂ phases theoretically at density‐functional theory level using a self‐consistent hybrid functional which has demonstrated its accuracy for the prediction of structural, electronic and energetic properties in a previous study. We found that the surfaces of the rutile R phase of VO₂ are not stable and show a spontaneous phase transition to the monoclinic M₁ phase. Doping with Mo stabilizes the surfaces with rutile structure even for small dopant concentrations (6.25 %). Both M₁ and R surfaces strongly relax, with and without doping. In particular the metal‐metal distances in the uppermost layers change by up to 0.4 Å. Mo segregates in the topmost layer of both R and M₁ phases. The electronic structure is only slightly changed upon doping.

Recent Progress on Vanadium Dioxide Nanostructures and Devices: Fabrication, Properties, Applications and Perspectives

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is a typical metal-insulator transition (MIT) material, which changes from room-temperature monoclinic insulating phase to high-temperature rutile metallic phase. The phase transition of VO₂ is accompanied by sudden changes in conductance and optical transmittance. Due to the excellent phase transition characteristics of VO₂, it has been widely studied in the applications of electric and optical devices, smart windows, sensors, actuators, etc. In this review, we provide a summary about several phases of VO₂ and their corresponding structural features, the typical fabrication methods of VO₂ nanostructures (e.g., thin film and low-dimensional structures (LDSs)) and the properties and related applications of VO₂. In addition, the challenges and opportunities for VO₂ in future studies and applications are also discussed.

Selective MOCVD synthesis of VO2 crystals on nanosharp Si structures

High-quality single VO₂ nanocrystals and ordered arrays of VO₂ nanorings were selectively synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) respectively on the tip apices and on the sidewall scallops.

Synthesis of Self-Assembled Randomly Oriented VO2 Nanowires on a Glass Substrate by a Spin Coating Method

Randomly oriented vanadium dioxide (VO₂) nanowires were produced on a glass substrate by spin coating from a cosolvent. SEM studies reveal that highly dense VO₂ nanowires were grown at an annealing temperature of 400 °C. X-ray diffraction (XRD) provides evidence of the high crystallinity of the VO₂ nanowires-embedded VO₂ thin films on the glass substrate at 400 °C. Characterization by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM) confirmed the formation of VO₂ nanowires. The optical band gap of the nanowires-embedded VO₂ thin films was also calculated from the transmittance data to be 2.65-2.70 eV. The growth mechanism of the solution-processed semiconducting VO₂ nanowires was proposed based on both solvent selection and annealing temperature. Finally, the solar water splitting ability of the VO₂ nanowires-embedded VO₂ thin films was demonstrated in a photoelectrochemical cell (PEC).

Self-protective GaInN-based light-emitting diodes with VO2 nanowires

We presented a new functional GaInN-based light-emitting diode (LED) that is capable of protecting itself from unwanted thermal damage (a so-called self-protective LED). This functionality was achieved by incorporating VO2 nanowires on the LED chip. VO2 nanowires, as metal-insulator transition materials, show a phase transition from insulating to metallic at a characteristic transition temperature. By placing a VO2 nanowire between the n- and p-contacts of an LED, a parallel circuit was formed with the existing diode. As the VO2 nanowire became metal-like at its characteristic temperature, it induced a short-circuit state in the device, protecting the LED from heat damage at elevated temperatures. Details on the self-protective LED were elucidated, from a conceptual description to experimental proof.

Morphology-controlled epitaxial vanadium dioxide low-dimensional structures: the delicate effects on the phase transition behaviors

As an important strongly correlated electron material, VO2 undergoes a metal-insulator transition (MIT) accompanied by a huge change of several orders of magnitude in conductance and transmittance. The MIT behavior can be controlled by low-dimensional structures (LDSs) and the interaction between LDSs and substrates. Consequently, fabricating the LDSs and understanding the phase transition behaviors have great significance for the investigation of fundamental properties and applications. Using the pulsed laser deposition technique, we fabricate abundant LDSs (i.e., from zero-dimensional nanodots, one-dimensional nanowires, nanobelts and nanorods to two-dimensional nanoplatelets and ultra-thin films, and zero-/one-/two-dimensional mixed structures), and investigate the controllability of each deposition factor on the growth of the LDSs. TEM results confirm the high crystallinity of the as-synthesized LDSs. AFM results and ab initio calculations demonstrate the great influence of substrates on the growth orientation of the LDSs. More importantly, we systematically investigate the phase transition characteristics of the LDSs by temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy and XRD. The results clearly reveal the structural dependence of the phase transition features due to the delicate effects of substrates and structures. Our technique provides a rapid, controllable and easy method for fabricating VO2 LDSs, which can lead to a deeper understanding of the electrical, optical, and magnetic properties and potential applications of VO2.

Defect-engineered epitaxial VO2±δ in strain engineering of heterogeneous soft crystals

The success of strain engineering has made a step further for the enhancement of material properties and the introduction of new physics, especially with the discovery of the critical roles of strain in the heterogeneous interface between two dissimilar materials (for example, FeSe/SrTiO₃). On the other hand, the strain manipulation has been limited to chemical epitaxy and nanocomposites that, to a large extent, limit the possible material systems that can be explored. By defect engineering, we obtained, for the first time, dense three-dimensional strongly correlated VO_2±δ epitaxial nanoforest arrays that can be used as a novel "substrate" for dynamic strain engineering, due to its metal-insulator transition. The highly dense nanoforest is promising for the possible realization of bulk strain similar to the effect of nanocomposites. By growing single-crystalline halide perovskite CsPbBr₃, a mechanically soft and emerging semiconducting material, onto the VO_2±δ, a heterogeneous interface is created that can entail a ~1% strain transfer upon the metal-insulator transition of VO_2±δ. This strain is large enough to trigger a structural phase transition featured by PbX₆ octahedral tilting along with a modification of the photoluminescence energy landscape in halide perovskite. Our findings suggest a promising strategy of dynamic strain engineering in a heterogeneous interface carrying soft and strain-sensitive semiconductors that can happen at a larger volumetric value surpassing the conventional critical thickness limit.

Role of annealing temperature on the sol–gel synthesis of VO2 nanowires with in situ characterization of their metal–insulator transition

Among the techniques to create VO₂ nanostructures, the sol–gel method is the most facile and benefits from simple, manipulable synthetic parameters. Here, by utilizing various TEM techniques, we report the sequential morphological evolution of VO₂ nanostructures in a sol–gel film spin-coated on a customized TEM grid, which underwent oxygen reduction as the annealing temperature increased. In situ TEM dark-field imaging and Raman spectroscopy allowed us to confirm the sharp phase transition behavior of an individual nanowire by illustrating the effect of electrode-clamping-induced tensile stress on the nucleation of the R phase from the M1 phase. The electrical transport properties of a single-nanowire device fabricated on a customized TEM grid showed excellent control of the stoichiometry and crystallinity of the wire. These results offer critical information for preparing tailored VO₂ nanostructures with advanced transition properties by the sol–gel method to enable the fabrication of scalable flexible devices.

The single-VO₂ nanowire device synthesized via sequential morphological evolutions with oxygen reduction during annealing features a sharp metal-insulator transition.

Pressure-Temperature Phase Diagram of Vanadium Dioxide

The complexity of strongly correlated electron physics in vanadium dioxide is exemplified as its rich phase diagrams of all kinds, which in turn shed light on the mechanisms behind its various phase transitions. In this work, we map out the hydrostatic pressure-temperature phase diagram of vanadium dioxide nanobeams by independently varying pressure and temperature with a diamond anvil cell. In addition to the well-known insulating M1 (monoclinic) and metallic R (tetragonal) phases, the diagram identifies the existence at high pressures of the insulating M1' (monoclinic, more conductive than M1) phase and two metallic phases of X (monoclinic) and O (orthorhombic, at high temperature only). Systematic optical and electrical measurements combined with density functional calculations allow us to delineate their phase boundaries as well as reveal some basic features of the transitions.

Effects of Thickness on the Metal-Insulator Transition in Free-Standing Vanadium Dioxide Nanocrystals

Controlling solid state phase transitions via external stimuli offers rich physics along with possibilities of unparalleled applications in electronics and optics. The well-known metal-insulator transition (MIT) in vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is one instance of such phase transitions emerging from strong electronic correlations. Inducing the MIT using electric field has been investigated extensively for the applications in electrical and ultrafast optical switching. However, as the Thomas-Fermi screening length is very short, for considerable alteration in the material's properties with electric field induced MIT, crystals below 10 nm are needed. So far, the only way to achieve thin crystals of VO₂ has been via epitaxial growth techniques. Yet, stress due to lattice mismatch as well as interdiffusion with the substrate complicate the studies. Here, we show that free-standing vapor-phase grown crystals of VO₂ can be milled down to the desired thickness using argon ion-beam milling without compromising their electronic and structural properties. Among our results, we show that even below 4 nm thickness the MIT persists and the transition temperature is lowered in two-terminal devices as the crystal gets thinner. The findings in this Letter can be applied to similar strongly correlated materials to study quantum confinement effects.

Geometric constraints on phase coexistence in vanadium dioxide single crystals

The appearance of stripe phases is a characteristic signature of strongly correlated quantum materials, and its origin in phase-changing materials has only recently been recognized as the result of the delicate balance between atomic and mesoscopic materials properties. A vanadium dioxide (VO₂) single crystal is one such strongly correlated material with stripe phases. Infrared nano-imaging on low-aspect-ratio, single-crystal VO₂ microbeams decorated with resonant plasmonic nanoantennas reveals a novel herringbone pattern of coexisting metallic and insulating domains intercepted and altered by ferroelastic domains, unlike previous reports on high-aspect-ratio VO₂ crystals where the coexisting metal/insulator domains appear as alternating stripe phases perpendicular to the growth axis. The metallic domains nucleate below the crystal surface and grow towards the surface with increasing temperature as suggested by the near-field plasmonic response of the gold nanorod antennas.

Nanoscale Engineering in VO2 Nanowires via Direct Electron Writing Process

Controlling phase transition in functional materials at nanoscale is not only of broad scientific interest but also important for practical applications in the fields of renewable energy, information storage, transducer, sensor, and so forth. As a model functional material, vanadium dioxide (VO₂) has its metal-insulator transition (MIT) usually at a sharp temperature around 68 °C. Here, we report a focused electron beam can directly lower down the transition temperature of a nanoarea to room temperature without prepatterning the VO₂. This novel process is called radiolysis-assisted MIT (R-MIT). The electron beam irradiation fabricates a unique gradual MIT zone to several times of the beam size in which the temperature-dependent phase transition is achieved in an extended temperature range. The gradual transformation zone offers to precisely control the ratio of metal/insulator phases. This direct electron writing technique can open up an opportunity to precisely engineer nanodomains of diversified electronic properties in functional material-based devices.

Current induced polycrystalline-to-crystalline transformation in vanadium dioxide nanowires

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) exhibits a reversible insulator-metal phase transition that is of significant interest in energy-efficient nanoelectronic and nanophotonic devices. In these applications, crystalline materials are usually preferred for their superior electrical transport characteristics as well as spatial homogeneity and low surface roughness over the device area for reduced scattering. Here, we show applied electrical currents can induce a permanent reconfiguration of polycrystalline VO₂ nanowires into crystalline nanowires, resulting in a dramatically reduced hysteresis across the phase transition and reduced resistivity. Low currents below 3 mA were sufficient to cause the local temperature in the VO₂ to reach about 1780 K to activate the irreversible polycrystalline-to-crystalline transformation. The crystallinity was confirmed by electron microscopy and diffraction analyses. This simple yet localized post-processing of insulator-metal phase transition materials may enable new methods of studying and fabricating nanoscale structures and devices formed from these materials.

In situ Raman spectroscopy study of metal-enhanced hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of VO2

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) has a phase transition from insulator to metal at 340 K, and this transition can be strongly modified by hydrogenation. In this work, two dimensional (2D) VO2 sheets have been grown on Si(1 1 1) surfaces through chemical vapor deposition, and metal (Au, Pt) thin films were deposited on VO2 surfaces by sputtering. The hydrogenation and dehydrogenation of VO2 and metal-decorated VO2 structures in H2 and in air were in situ studied by Raman. We found that hydrogenation and dehydrogenation temperatures have been significantly decreased with the VO2 surface decorated by Au and Pt. The enhanced hydrogenation and dehydrogenation reactions can be attributed to catalytic dissociation of H2 and O2 molecules on metal surfaces and subsequent spillover of dissociated H and O atoms to the oxide surfaces.

Direct correlation of structural and electrical properties of electron-doped individual VO2 nanowires on devised TEM grids

Nano-scale VO₂ wires with controlled parameters such as electron-doping have attracted intense interest due to their capability of suppressing the temperature of the metal-insulator transition (MIT). However, because their diameters are smaller than the spatial resolutions of the conventional measuring equipment, the ability to perform a thorough examination of the wires has been hindered. Here, we report the fabrication of a transmission electron microscopy (TEM) grid with an optimum design of Si₃N₄ windows on which the photolithography for individual electron-doped VO₂ nanowire devices can be safely accomplished, allowing the cross-examination of the structural and electrical properties. TEM dark-field imaging was used to quantitatively investigate the fractions of rutile and M1 phases, and their lattice alignments were observed using high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) with small area diffraction. Moreover, electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) revealed that the rutile domain would be created by the strain induced by oxygen vacancies. Importantly, we successfully tuned the transition temperature by changing the rutile fraction while maintaining a high level of resistivity change. The resistivity at room temperature linearly decreased with the rutile fraction, following a simple model. Furthermore, the T dependence of the threshold voltage can be attributed to the Joule heating, exhibiting an identical thermal dependence, irrespective of the rutile fraction.

Nonlinear Electron-Lattice Interactions in a Wurtzite Semiconductor Enabled via Strongly Correlated Oxide

With VO₂ , a classic strongly correlated oxide material, a model semiconductor CdS is stretched and its electron-lattice interaction in a nonlinear manner is modulated. Optical spectroscopy is applied to probe the electronic band structure-associated parameters which is explained by the theoretical prediction based on k·p method and microscopy study. The research provides a new avenue on dynamic straining engineering.

Visualization of one-dimensional diffusion and spontaneous segregation of hydrogen in single crystals of VO2

Hydrogen intercalation in solids is common, complicated, and very difficult to monitor. In a new approach to the problem, we have studied the profile of hydrogen diffusion in single-crystal nanobeams and plates of VO2, exploiting the fact that hydrogen doping in this material leads to visible darkening near room temperature connected with the metal-insulator transition at 65 °C. We observe hydrogen diffusion along the rutile c-axis but not perpendicular to it, making this a highly one-dimensional diffusion system. We obtain an activated diffusion coefficient, [Formula: see text] applicable in metallic phase. In addition, we observe dramatic supercooling of the hydrogen-induced metallic phase and spontaneous segregation of the hydrogen into stripes implying that the diffusion process is highly nonlinear, even in the absence of defects. Similar complications may occur in hydrogen motion in other materials but are not revealed by conventional measurement techniques.

Real-Time Structural and Electrical Characterization of Metal-Insulator Transition in Strain-Modulated Single-Phase VO2 Wires with Controlled Diameters

Single-crystal VO2 wires have gained tremendous popularity for enabling the study of the fundamental properties of the metal-insulator transition (MIT); however, it remains tricky to precisely measure the intrinsic properties of the transitional phases with controlled wire-growth properties, such as diameter. Here, we report a facile method for growing VO2 wires with controlled diameters by separating the formation of the liquidus V2O5 seed droplets from the evolution of the VO2 wire using oxygen gas. The kinetic analyses suggest that the growth proceeds via the VS (vapor-solid) mechanism, whereas the droplet determines the size and the location of the wire. In situ Raman spectroscopy combined with analyses of the electrical properties of an individual wire allowed us to construct a diameter-temperature phase diagram from three initial phases (i.e., M1, T, and M2), which were created by misfit stress from the substrate and were preserved at room temperature. We also correlated this relation with resistivity-diameter and activation energy-diameter relations supported by theoretical modeling. These carefully designed approaches enabled us to elucidate the details of the phase transitions over a wide range of stress conditions, offering an opportunity to quantify relevant thermodynamic and electronic parameters (including resistivities, activation energies, and energy barriers of the key insulating phases) and to explain the intriguing behaviors of the T phase during the MIT.

Ultrafast Nanoimaging of the Photoinduced Phase Transition Dynamics in VO2

Many phase transitions in correlated matter exhibit spatial inhomogeneities with expected yet unexplored effects on the associated ultrafast dynamics. Here we demonstrate the combination of ultrafast nondegenerate pump-probe spectroscopy with far from equilibrium excitation, and scattering scanning near-field optical microscopy (s-SNOM) for ultrafast nanoimaging. In a femtosecond near-field near-IR (NIR) pump and mid-IR (MIR) probe study, we investigate the photoinduced insulator-to-metal (IMT) transition in nominally homogeneous VO2 microcrystals. With pump fluences as high as 5 mJ/cm(2), we can reach three distinct excitation regimes. We observe a spatial heterogeneity on ∼50-100 nm length scales in the fluence-dependent IMT dynamics ranging from <100 fs to ∼1 ps. These results suggest a high sensitivity of the IMT with respect to small local variations in strain, doping, or defects that are difficult to discern microscopically. We provide a perspective with the distinct requirements and considerations of ultrafast spatiotemporal nanoimaging of phase transitions in quantum materials.

Distinguishing the Photothermal and Photoinjection Effects in Vanadium Dioxide Nanowires

Vanadium dioxide (VO2) has drawn significant attention for its unique metal-to-insulator transition near the room temperature. The high electrical resistivity below the transition temperature (∼68 °C) is a result of the strong electron correlation with the assistance of lattice (Peierls) distortion. Theoretical calculations indicated that the strong interelectron interactions might induce intriguing optoelectronic phenomena, such as the multiple exciton generation (MEG), a process desirable for efficient optoelectronics and photovoltaics. However, the resistivity of VO2 is quite temperature sensitive, and therefore, the light-induced conductivity in VO2 has often been attributed to the photothermal effects. In this work, we distinguished the photothermal and photoinjection effects in VO2 nanowires by varying the chopping frequency of the optical illumination. We found that, in our VO2 nanowires, the relatively slow photothermal processes can be well suppressed when the chopping frequency is >2 kHz, whereas the fast photoinjection component (direct photoexcitation of charge carriers) remains constant at all chopping frequencies. By separating the photothermal and photoinjection processes, our work set the basis for further studies of carrier dynamics under optical excitations in strongly correlated materials.

Shape-controlled synthesis and influence of W doping and oxygen nonstoichiometry on the phase transition of VO2

Monoclinic VO₂(M) in nanostructure is a prototype material for interpreting correlation effects in solids with fully reversible phase transition and for the advanced applications to smart devices. Here, we report a facile one-step hydrothermal method for the controlled growth of single crystalline VO₂(M/R) nanorods. Through tuning the hydrothermal temperature, duration of the hydrothermal time and W-doped level, single crystalline VO₂(M/R) nanorods with controlled aspect ratio can be synthesized in large quantities, and the crucial parameter for the shape-controlled synthesis is the W-doped content. The dopant greatly promotes the preferential growth of (110) to form pure phase VO₂(R) nanorods with high aspect ratio for the W-doped level = 2.0 at% sample. The shape-controlled process of VO₂(M/R) nanorods upon W-doping are systematically studied. Moreover, the phase transition temperature (T_c) of VO₂ depending on oxygen nonstoichiometry is investigated in detail.

Synthesis and formation mechanism of VO2(A) nanoplates with intrinsic peroxidase-like activity

In situPXRD confirmed the direct crystallization of VO₂(A) from solution after complete hydrolysis of the VO(acac)₂precursor.

Low-temperature CVD synthesis of patterned core-shell VO2@ZnO nanotetrapods and enhanced temperature-dependent field-emission properties

VO2 nanostructures are attractive materials because of their reversible metal-insulator transition (MIT) and wide applications in devices. When they are used as field emitters, a new type of temperature-controlled field emission device can be fabricated. Vapor transport methods used to synthesize traditional VO2 nanostructures are energy-intensive, low yield, and produce simple morphology (quasi-1D) that exhibits substrate clamping; thus they are not suitable for field emission applications. To overcome these limitations, ZnO nanotetrapods were used as templates, and patterned core-shell VO2@ZnO nanotetrapods were successfully grown on an ITO/glass substrate via a low-temperature CVD synthesis. SEM, TEM, EDX, XPS analyses and X-ray diffraction revealed that the cores and shells of these nanotetrapods were single crystal wurtzite-type ZnO and polycrystalline VO2, respectively. The VO2@ZnO nanotetrapods show strongly MIT-related FE properties, the emission current density at low temperature is significantly enhanced in comparison with pure VO2 nanostructures, and the emission current density increased by about 20 times as the ambient temperature increased from 25 to 105 °C at a fixed field of 5 V μm(-1). Although the VO2@ZnO nanotetrapods show a worse FE performance at low temperatures compared with pure ZnO nanotetrapods, the FE performance was substantially improved at high temperatures, which was attributed to the MIT-related band bending near the interface and the abrupt resistance change across the MIT.

Scalable hydrothermal synthesis of free-standing VO₂ nanowires in the M1 phase

VO2 nanostructures derived from solution-phase methods are often plagued by broadened and relatively diminished metal-insulator transitions and adventitious doping due to imperfect control of stoichiometry. Here, we demonstrate a stepwise scalable hydrothermal and annealing route for obtaining VO2 nanowires exhibiting almost 4 orders of magnitude abrupt (within 1 °C) metal-insulator transitions. The prepared nanowires have been characterized across their structural and electronic phase transitions using single-nanowire Raman microprobe analysis, ensemble differential scanning calorimetry, and single-nanowire electrical transport measurements. The electrical band gap is determined to be 600 meV and is consistent with the optical band gap of VO2, and the narrowness of differential scanning calorimetry profiles indicates homogeneity of stoichiometry. The preparation of high-quality free-standing nanowires exhibiting pronounced metal-insulator transitions by a solution-phase process allows for scalability, further solution-phase processing, incorporation within nanocomposites, and integration onto arbitrary substrates.

Hydrogen diffusion and stabilization in single-crystal VO2 micro/nanobeams by direct atomic hydrogenation

We report measurements of the diffusion of atomic hydrogen in single crystalline VO2 micro/nanobeams by direct exposure to atomic hydrogen, without catalyst. The atomic hydrogen is generated by a hot filament, and the doping process takes place at moderate temperature (373 K). Undoped VO2 has a metal-to-insulator phase transition at ∼340 K between a high-temperature, rutile, metallic phase and a low-temperature, monoclinic, insulating phase with a resistance exhibiting a semiconductor-like temperature dependence. Atomic hydrogenation results in stabilization of the metallic phase of VO2 micro/nanobeams down to 2 K, the lowest point we could reach in our measurement setup. Optical characterization shows that hydrogen atoms prefer to diffuse along the c axis of rutile (a axis of monoclinic) VO2, along the oxygen "channels". Based on observing the movement of the hydrogen diffusion front in single crystalline VO2 beams, we estimate the diffusion constant for hydrogen along the c axis of the rutile phase to be 6.7 × 10(-10) cm(2)/s at approximately 373 K, exceeding the value in isostructural TiO2 by ∼38×. Moreover, we find that the diffusion constant along the c axis of the rutile phase exceeds that along the equivalent a axis of the monoclinic phase by at least 3 orders of magnitude. This remarkable change in kinetics must originate from the distortion of the "channels" when the unit cell doubles along this direction upon cooling into the monoclinic structure. Ab initio calculation results are in good agreement with the experimental trends in the relative kinetics of the two phases. This raises the possibility of a switchable membrane for hydrogen transport.

Ultrahigh responsivity and external quantum efficiency of an ultraviolet-light photodetector based on a single VO₂ microwire

We demonstrated a single microwire photodetector first made using a VO2 microwire that exhibted high responsivity (Rλ) and external quantum efficiency (EQE) under varying light intensities. The VO2 nanowires/microwires were grown and attached on the surface of the SiO2/Si(100) substrate. The SiO2 layer can produce extremely low densities of long VO2 microwires. An individual VO2 microwire was bonded onto the ends using silver paste to fabricate a photodetector. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy image indicates that the nanowires grew along the [100] axis as a single crystal. The critical parameters, such as Rλ, EQE, and detectivity, are extremely high, 7069 A W(-1), 2.4 × 10(10)%, and 1.5 × 10(14) Jones, respectively, under a bias of 4 V and an illumination intensity of 1 μW cm(-2). The asymmetry in the I-V curves results from the unequal barrier heights at the two contacts. The photodetector has a linear I-V curve with a low dark current while a nonlinear curves was observed under varing light intensities. The highly efficient hole-trapping effect contributed to the high responsivity and external quantum efficiency in the metal-oxide nanomaterial photodetector. The responsivity of VO2 photodetector is 6 and 4 orders higher than that of graphene (or MoS2) and GaS, respectively. The findings demonstrate that VO2 nanowire/microwire is highly suitable for realizing a high-performance photodetector on a SiO2/Si substrate.

Highly sensitive and multispectral responsive phototransistor using tungsten-doped VO2 nanowires

In this work, we report a novel and feasible strategy for the practical applications of one-dimensional ultrasensitive phototransistors made of tungsten-doped VO2 single nanowires. The photoconductive response of the single nanowire device was investigated under different visible light excitations (405 nm, 532 nm, and 660 nm). The phototransistor device exhibited ultrafast photoresponse, high responsivity, broad multispectral response, and rapid saturation characteristic curves. These promising results help to promote the applications of this material in nano-scale optoelectronic devices such as efficient multispectral phototransistors and optical switches.

Self-assembly and horizontal orientation growth of VO2 nanowires

Single-crystalline vanadium dioxide (VO₂) nanostructures have attracted an intense research interest recently because of their unique single-domain metal-insulator phase transition property. Synthesis of these nanostructures in the past was limited in density, alignment, or single-crystallinity. The assembly of VO₂ nanowires (NWs) is desirable for a “bottom-up” approach to the engineering of intricate structures using nanoscale building blocks. Here, we report the successful synthesis of horizontally aligned VO₂ NWs with a dense growth mode in the [1-100]_quartz direction of a polished x-cut quartz surface using a simple vapor transport method. Our strategy of controlled growth of VO₂ NWs promisingly paves the way for designing novel metal-insulator transition devices based on VO₂ NWs.

Graphene nanoribbon/V2O5 cathodes in lithium-ion batteries

Nanocrystalline V2O5 particles were successfully entrapped by graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) derived from unzipped carbon nanotubes. The electrical conductivity of V2O5 nanoparticles was enhanced after introducing the GNRs. The 3-dimensional conductive framework in the composites plays a significant role in improving the rate performance and cyclability of the material when used as a cathode in lithium-ion batteries. By tailoring the mass ratio between the GNRs and the V2O5 nanoparticles, the fabricated composites can deliver a high capacity of 278 mAh g(-1) at 0.1 C, which is close to its theoretical value, whereas a capacity of 165 mAh g(-1) can be maintained at 2 C. The delivered capacity at 0.1 C can maintain 78% of its initial capacity after 100 cycles.

Direct observation of nanoscale Peltier and Joule effects at metal-insulator domain walls in vanadium dioxide nanobeams

The metal to insulator transition (MIT) of strongly correlated materials is subject to strong lattice coupling, which brings about the unique one-dimensional alignment of metal-insulator (M-I) domains along nanowires or nanobeams. Many studies have investigated the effects of stress on the MIT and hence the phase boundary, but few have directly examined the temperature profile across the metal-insulating interface. Here, we use thermoreflectance microscopy to create two-dimensional temperature maps of single-crystalline VO2 nanobeams under external bias in the phase coexisting regime. We directly observe highly localized alternating Peltier heating and cooling as well as Joule heating concentrated at the M-I domain boundaries, indicating the significance of the domain walls and band offsets. Utilizing the thermoreflectance technique, we are able to elucidate strain accumulation along the nanobeam and distinguish between two insulating phases of VO2 through detection of the opposite polarity of their respective thermoreflectance coefficients. Microelasticity theory was employed to predict favorable domain wall configurations, confirming the monoclinic phase identification.

Solution-processed phase-change VO(2) metamaterials from colloidal vanadium oxide (VO(x)) nanocrystals

We demonstrate thermally switchable VO2 metamaterials fabricated using solution-processable colloidal nanocrystals (NCs). Vanadium oxide (VOx) NCs are synthesized through a nonhydrolytic reaction and deposited from stable colloidal dispersions to form NC thin films. Rapid thermal annealing transforms the VOx NC thin films into monoclinic, nanocrystalline VO2 thin films that show a sharp, reversible metal-insulator phase transition. Introduction of precise concentrations of tungsten dopings into the colloidal VOx NCs enables the still sharp phase transition of the VO2 thin films to be tuned to lower temperatures as the doping level increases. We fabricate "smart", differentially doped, multilayered VO2 films to program the phase and therefore the metal-insulator behavior of constituent vertically structured layers with temperature. With increasing temperature, we tailored the optical response of multilayered films in the near-IR and IR regions from that of a strong light absorber, in a metal-insulator structure, to that of a Drude-like reflector, characteristic of a pure metallic structure. We demonstrate that nanocrystal-based nanoimprinting can be employed to pattern multilayered subwavelength nanostructures, such as three-dimensional VO2 nanopillar arrays, that exhibit plasmonic dipolar responses tunable with a temperature change.

A synergic effect of sodium on the phase transition of tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide

A synergic effect of sodium on the metal–insulator transition temperature reduction of tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide is noted.

Dynamically tracking the strain across the metal-insulator transition in VO2 measured using electromechanical resonators

We study the strain state of doubly clamped VO2 nanobeam devices by dynamically probing resonant frequency of the nanoscale electromechanical device across the metal-insulator transition. Simultaneous resistance and resonance measurements indicate M1-M2 phase transition in the insulating state with a drop in resonant frequency concomitant with an increase in resistance. The resonant frequency increases by ~7 MHz with the growth of metallic domain (M2-R transition) due to the development of tensile strain in the nanobeam. Our approach to dynamically track strain coupled with simultaneous resistance and resonance measurements using electromechanical resonators enables the study of lattice-involved interactions more precisely than static strain measurements. This technique can be extended to other phase change systems important for device applications.

Doping-based stabilization of the M2 phase in free-standing VO₂ nanostructures at room temperature

A new high-yield method of doping VO(2) nanostructures with aluminum is proposed, which renders possible stabilization of the monoclinic M2 phase in free-standing nanoplatelets in ambient conditions and opens an opportunity for realization of a purely electronic Mott transition field-effect transistor without an accompanying structural transition. The synthesized free-standing M2-phase nanostructures are shown to have very high crystallinity and an extremely sharp temperature-driven metal-insulator transition. A combination of X-ray microdiffraction, micro-Raman spectroscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and four-probe electrical measurements allowed thorough characterization of the doped nanostructures. Light is shed onto some aspects of the nanostructure growth, and the temperature-doping level phase diagram is established.