Surface-stress-induced Mott transition and nature of associated spatial phase transition in single crystalline VO2 nanowires.
We demonstrate that the Mott metal-insulator transition (MIT) in single crystalline VO(2) nanowires is strongly mediated by surface stress as a consequence of the high surface area to volume ratio of individual nanowires. Further, we show that the stress-induced antiferromagnetic Mott insulating phase is critical in controlling the spatial extent and distribution of the insulating monoclinic and metallic rutile phases as well as the electrical characteristics of the Mott transition. This affords an understanding of the relationship between the structural phase transition and the Mott MIT.
Sohn
Jung Inn
JI
Nanoscience Centre, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB3 0FF, United Kingdom.
Joo
Heung Jin
HJ
Ahn
Docheon
D
Lee
Hyun Hwi
HH
Porter
Alexandra E
AE
Kim
Kinam
K
Kang
Dae Joon
DJ
Welland
Mark E
ME