Issue 17, 2023

Synthesis, metal–insulator transition, and photoresponse characteristics of VO2 nanobeams via an oxygen inhibitor-assisted vapor transport method

Abstract

Vapor-transport technique is comprehensively employed method for synthesizing monoclinic VO2 nanostructures to exploit the intrinsic metal–insulator transition (MIT) of VO2. However, the precise control of growth characteristics, such as morphology and surface density, remains a challenge. Here, we present a modified vapor-transport technique for annealing V2O5 powder and for growing high-quality VO2 crystals with controlled shape and density through merely regulating the O2 flow. A transition from quasi-2D microplates or thin films to high-density nanobeams (NBs) was observed by introducing a small amount of O2 gas; however, a notable reduction in NBs density was realized at high levels of O2. In order to qualitatively elucidate the growth behavior, a prospective model based on the oxygen-inhibiting effect is offered in combination with findings on the morphological and structural evolutions of the intermediate phases. To further examine the MIT behavior and photoresponse, a two-terminal device based on VO2 NBs was fabricated. The results showed that NBs not only displayed a significant shift in resistance by around 5 orders of magnitude, but also a high MIT temperature and significant hysteresis across the MIT as a result of the significant substrate-induced strain. Our photodetector device performed well when compared to previously reported VO2-based photodetectors due to its high responsivity and fast response speed under both 532 and 1550 nm laser excitations. This study reveals the significance and efficacy of oxygen in the modulation of VO2 crystal growth, including the compatibility of narrow-bandgap VO2 NBs for application in multispectral photodetectors.

Graphical abstract: Synthesis, metal–insulator transition, and photoresponse characteristics of VO2 nanobeams via an oxygen inhibitor-assisted vapor transport method

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
12 Dec 2022
Accepted
03 Apr 2023
First published
04 Apr 2023

J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023,11, 5731-5739

Synthesis, metal–insulator transition, and photoresponse characteristics of VO2 nanobeams via an oxygen inhibitor-assisted vapor transport method

X. Guo, Y. Hu, X. Liu, Z. Zafar, W. Zhou, X. Liu, L. Feng, J. Zou and H. Nan, J. Mater. Chem. C, 2023, 11, 5731 DOI: 10.1039/D2TC05295D

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