title: Detecting nanoscale size dependence in VO2 phase transition using a split-ring resonator metamaterial.
abstract: We have measured the size dependence of a solid-solid phase transformation in discrete nanoscale volumes of vanadium dioxide (VO(2)) defined by split-ring resonators. By monitoring the in-coupling plasmonic mode while thermally cycling through the insulator-metal transition, we show that hysteresis width broadens with reduced interrogation volume (i.e., number of intrinsic nucleation sites). The results further imply a volume range over which both electronic and structural components of the switching exhibit similar size dependence.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Nanoscale Science and Engineering and Department of Physics and Astronomy, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235-1807, United States. k.appavoo@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Kannatassen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Appavoo
authors.forename: Richard F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Haglund