Electrochemically Triggered Metal–Insulator Transition between VO 2 and V 2 O 5

Abstract

© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim Distinct properties of multiple phases of vanadium oxide (VOx) render this material family attractive for advanced electronic devices, catalysis, and energy storage. In this work, phase boundaries of VOx are crossed and distinct electronic properties are obtained by electrochemically tuning the oxygen content of VOx thin films under a wide range of temperatures. Reversible phase transitions between two adjacent VOx phases, VO2 and V2O5, are obtained. Cathodic biases trigger the phase transition from V2O5 to VO2, accompanied by disappearance of the wide band gap. The transformed phase is stable upon removal of the bias while reversible upon reversal of the electrochemical bias. The kinetics of the phase transition is monitored by tracking the time-dependent response of the X-ray absorption peaks upon the application of a sinusoidal electrical bias. The electrochemically controllable phase transition between VO2 and V2O5 demonstrates the ability to induce major changes in the electronic properties of VOx by spanning multiple structural phases. This concept is transferable to other multiphase oxides for electronic, magnetic, or electrochemical applications.