Characterization of pulsed laser deposition grown V₂O₃ converted VO₂

Controllable tuning of Metal-insulator transition in V_xO_y thin film has been a field of extensive research. However controlled synthesis of desired Vanadium oxide phase is a challenging task. We have successfully achieved VO₂ phase on Silicon substrate after post deposition annealing treatment to the PLD grown as deposited V₂O₃ thin films. The annealed thin film was characterized by x-ray diffraction (XRD), resistivity, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements. XRD confirms the crystalline nature and growth of VO₂ phase in thin film. The characteristic MIT was observed from resistivity measurements and transition temperature appeared at lower value around 336 K, compared to bulk VO₂. The structural transition accompanied with MIT from lower temperature monoclinic phase to higher temperature Rutile phase became evident from temperature dependent Raman measurements. Chemical state of vanadium was examined using XAS and XPS measurements which confirm the presence of +4 oxidation state of vanadium in thin film.