title: Intermediate metallic phase in VO₂ observed with scanning tunneling spectroscopy.
abstract: This investigation focuses on the formation of nanoscale puddles of an intermediate metallic phase (IMP) in the metal-insulator transition (MIT) temperature regime of single-crystalline vanadium dioxide (VO2) nanowires. The electronic structure of VO2 nanowires was examined with scanning tunneling spectroscopy. The evolution of the local density of states of individual nanowires throughout the MIT regime is presented with differential tunneling conductance spectra and images measured as the temperature was increased. Our results show that the formation of an IMP plays an important role in the MIT of intrinsic VO2.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, University at Buffalo, 239 Fronczak Hall, Buffalo, New York, USA. jbhatch@buffalo.edu.
authors.forename: John Byron
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hatch
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Whittaker-Brooks
authors.forename: Tai-Lung
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sambandamurthy
authors.forename: Sarbajit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo