Enhanced electrochromic performance of silver-doped vanadium pentoxide films with porous morphology fabricated by oblique angle deposition
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Porous vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) thin films were fabricated by thermal evaporation using an oblique angle deposition configuration with a substrate tilt of 60°, followed by controlled decoration with silver (Ag) nanoparticles via sputtering to enhance electrochromic performance. The influence of post-deposition annealing at 200 and 400 °C on the structural, optical, and electrochemical properties of the films was systematically investigated. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analyses revealed enhanced crystallinity, stabilization of the V5+ oxidation state, and the presence of metallic Ag nanoparticles upon annealing. Scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy confirmed the formation of a porous morphology induced by oblique deposition, with moderate annealing leading to an optimized balance between porosity and surface smoothness. Optical measurements demonstrated high transparency in the visible–near-infrared region, with the film annealed at 200 °C exhibiting the highest transmittance exceeding 90% above 550 nm and the widest optical band gap of approximately 2.85 eV. In contrast, the as-deposited and highly annealed films showed reduced transparency and narrower band gaps. Electrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry revealed enhanced charge insertion/extraction kinetics and excellent cycling stability for the moderately annealed film, maintaining stable redox behavior after 500 cycles. The results demonstrate that the synergistic combination of porous morphology, Ag nanoparticle decoration, and optimized annealing effectively enhances the electrochromic performance of V2O5 thin films, highlighting their strong potential for smart window and energy-efficient optoelectronic applications.
Source: Next Materials
Authors: Hamed Najafi-Ashtiani, Adeleh Vatankhahan
Institution: Velayat University
Language: English
Subfield: Polymers and Plastics
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,280
OpenAlex ID: W7154722679