Transport properties of ultra-thin VO2 films on (001) TiO2 grown by reactive molecular-beam epitaxy
Abstract
We report the growth of (001)-oriented VO2 films as thin as 1.5 nm with abrupt and reproducible metal-insulator transitions (MIT) without a capping layer. Limitations to the growth of thinner films with sharp MITs are discussed, including the Volmer-Weber type growth mode due to the high energy of the (001) VO2 surface. Another key limitation is interdiffusion with the (001) TiO2 substrate, which we quantify using low angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with electron energy loss spectroscopy. We find that controlling island coalescence on the (001) surface and minimization of cation interdiffusion by using a low growth temperature followed by a brief anneal at higher temperature are crucial for realizing ultrathin VO2 films with abrupt MIT behavior.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Pub Defense Publication
- Publication Date
- Oct 19, 2015
- Source ID
- 10.1063/1.4932123
Entities
People
- Darrell G. Schlom
- David A. Muller
- Eugene Freeman
- Hanjong Paik
- Jarrett A. Moyer
- Jason Lapano
- Joshua W. Tashman
- Julia Mundy
- Jürgen Schubert
- Nikhil Shukla
- Peter Schiffer
- Roman Engel-herbert
- Suman Datta
- Timothy Spila
- Willi Zander
Organizations
- Cornell University
- National Science Foundation
- Office of Naval Research
- Pennsylvania State University
- University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign