Work

Size-Dependent Optical Properties of VO2 Nanoparticle Arrays

Year: 2004

Type: article

Abstract: The size effects on the optical properties of vanadium dioxide nanoparticles in ordered arrays have been studied. Contrary to previous VO2 studies, we observe that the optical contrast between the semiconducting and metallic phases is dramatically enhanced in the visible region, presenting size-dependent optical resonances and size-dependent transition temperatures. The collective optical response as a function of temperature presents an enhanced scattering state during the evolving phase transition. The effects appear to arise because of the underlying VO2 mesoscale optical properties, the heterogeneous nucleation behind the phase transition, and the incoherent coupling between the nanoparticles undergoing an order-disorder-order transition. Calculations that support these interpretations are presented.

Source: Physical Review Letters

DOI: 10.1103/physrevlett.93.177403

Authors: R. Lopez, L. C. Feldman, R. F. Haglund

Institutions: Vanderbilt University, Oak Ridge National Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials

Subfield: Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Science Foundation, Division of Materials Research

Award: NIRT: Size Dependence of Phase Transitions in Nanocrystalline Oxides