THE EFFECT OF APPLIED STRAIN ON THE RESISTANCE OF VO2 THIN-FILMS

Vanadium dioxide thin films have been synthesized by pulsed laser depo sition from purl vanadium metal targets. The electrical characteristic s of these films were measured as a function of externally applied str ain, based on three-point bend geometry. It is observed that strain si gnificantly affects the resistance of the VO2 thin films below their m etallic-semiconducting transformation temperature (0.04% in-plane tens ile strain causing similar to 35% reduction in resistance). Moreover, the levels of strain required to cause such resistance changes are wel l within those which can be produced by many strictive materials. (C) 1997 American Institute of Physics. [S0003-6951(97)03251-8].