Enhanced hysteresis in the semiconductor-to-metal phase transition of VO2 precipitates formed in SiO2 by ion implantation

A strongly enhanced hysteresis with a width of > 34 degreesC has been obser ved in the semiconductor-to-metal phase transition of submicron-scale VO2 p recipitates formed in the near-surface region of amorphous SiO2 by the stoi chiometric coimplantation of vanadium and oxygen and subsequent thermal pro cessing. This width is approximately an order of magnitude larger than that reported previously for the phase transition of VO2 particles formed in Al 2O3 by a similar technique. The phase transition is accompanied by a signif icant change in infrared transmission. The anomalously wide hysteresis loop observed here for the VO2/SiO2 system can be exploited in optical data sto rage and switching applications in the infrared region. (C) 2001 American I nstitute of Physics.