Electric-field induced abrupt and multi-step insulator-metal transitions in vanadium dioxide nanobeams

Abstract

Both abrupt and multi-step Insulator-metal transitions triggered by applied voltage (electric field) were observed in VO2 nanobeams. The multi-step transition occurs due to nucleation and subsequent expansion of multiple insulating and metallic domains across the nanobeam whereas the abrupt transition results from the propagation of a parallel metallic domain across the nanobeam. A simple power dissipation based model was also used to study the local temperature evolution during these transitions in the nanobeam. Both types of transitions are suitable for prospective application in resistive memory and switches.