Work

Ultrafast electron crystallography of the cooperative reaction path in vanadium dioxide

Year: 2016

Type: article

Abstract: Time-resolved electron diffraction with atomic-scale spatial and temporal resolution was used to unravel the transformation pathway in the photoinduced structural phase transition of vanadium dioxide. Results from bulk crystals and single-crystalline thin-films reveal a common, stepwise mechanism: First, there is a femtosecond V-V bond dilation within 300 fs, second, an intracell adjustment in picoseconds and, third, a nanoscale shear motion within tens of picoseconds. Experiments at different ambient temperatures and pump laser fluences reveal a temperature-dependent excitation threshold required to trigger the transitional reaction path of the atomic motions.

Source: Structural Dynamics

DOI: 10.1063/1.4953370

Authors: Ding-Shyue Yang, Peter Baum, Ahmed H. Zewail

Institutions: California Institute of Technology, University of Houston, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München

Language: English

Topic: Transition Metal Oxide Nanomaterials

Subfield: Polymers and Plastics

Field: Materials Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,200

Funders: Welch Foundation, California Institute of Technology, University of Houston