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Vanadium oxide films deposited on sapphire substrate with in situ AlN stress layer: structural, electric, and optical properties

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Abstract

Vanadium oxide (VO x ) thin films were grown on single crystal sapphire substrates by pulsed laser deposition under various O2 partial pressures. In situ AlN layer was inserted between the substrate and VO x films as induced stress layer. The significant influences of AlN layer on the structural, electric, and optical properties of the as-grown films were investigated systemically. The results indicated that pure monoclinic phase VO2 film with (020) preferred orientation was successfully achieved under the optimized O2 partial pressure. Moreover, a lowered semiconductor-to-metal transition temperature and a higher optical transmittance in visible and near-infrared regions were achieved due to the introduction of AlN-induced stress layer. Our achievements suggested that it might be a promising method to modulate VO2 transition characteristics by inducing AlN-induced stress layer.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the supports from the Nature Science Foundation of LiaoNing Province under the Grant No. 2013020095; the Opening Project of Key Laboratory of Inorganic Coating Materials, Chinese Academy of Sciences (KLICM-2014-01); and the Opening Project of Key Laboratory of Materials Modification by Laser, Ion and Electron Beams, Ministry of Education (Project No. LABKF1401).

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The authors declare that they have no potential conflict of interest to this work.

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Correspondence to Jiming Bian.

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Bian, J., Miao, L., Zhao, S. et al. Vanadium oxide films deposited on sapphire substrate with in situ AlN stress layer: structural, electric, and optical properties. J Mater Sci 50, 5709–5714 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9112-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-015-9112-z

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