Optical properties of thin films of amorphous vanadium oxides

The results of an experimental investigation of the optical properties of a nodic vanadium oxide films are presented. It is shown that films of differe nt phase composition (VO2,V2O5,or a mixture of two phases) can be obtained, depending on the oxidation regime, and that the absorption and transmissio n spectra are modified significantly in accordance. The optical properties of the oxides, whose composition is close to stoichiometric vanadium dioxid e, demonstrate the occurrence of a metal-semiconductor phase transition in the amorphous films. The results presented are important both from the stan dpoint of technical applications of thin film systems based on anodic vanad ium oxides and for more detailed understanding of the physical mechanism of the metal-semiconductor phase transition and the influence of structural d isorder on the transition. (C) 1999 American Institute of Physics. [S1063-7 850(99)03104-3].