title: Electro-thermal control of aluminum-doped zinc oxide/vanadium dioxide multilayered thin films for smart-device applications.
abstract: We demonstrate the electro-thermal control of aluminum-doped zinc oxide (Al:ZnO) /vanadium dioxide (VO2) multilayered thin films, where the application of a small electric field enables precise control of the applied heat to the VO2 thin film to induce its semiconductor-metal transition (SMT). The transparent conducting oxide nature of the top Al:ZnO film can be tuned to facilitate the fine control of the SMT of the VO2 thin film and its associated properties. In addition, the Al:ZnO film provides a capping layer to the VO2 thin film, which inhibits oxidation to a more energetically favorable and stable V2O5 phase. It also decreases the SMT of the VO2 thin film by approximately 5-10 °C because of an additional stress induced on the VO2 thin film and/or an alteration of the oxygen vacancy concentration in the VO2 thin film. These results have significant impacts on technological applications for both passive and active devices by exploiting this near-room-temperature SMT.
authors.affiliation: Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Skuza
authors.affiliation: Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Mundle
authors.affiliation: Center for Materials Research, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.|Department of Engineering, Norfolk State University, Norfolk, VA, 23504, USA.
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Pradhan