Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025

Atomic Layer Deposition of Vanadium Dioxide and a Temperature-dependent Optical Model
Published on: May 23, 2018
Femtosecond laser-induced phase transition in VO2 films
Abstract:
VO2 is a very promising material due to its semiconductor-metal phase transition, however, the research on fs laser-induced phase transition is still very controversial, which greatly limits its development in ultrafast optics. In this work, the fs laser-induced changes in the optical properties of VO2 films were studied with a variable-temperature Z-scan. At room temperature, VO2 consistently maintained nonlinear absorption properties at laser repetition frequencies below 10 kHz while laser-induced phase transition properties appeared at higher repetition frequencies. It was found by temperature variation experiments at 100 kHz that the modulation depth of the laser-induced VO2 phase transition was consistent with that of the ambient temperature-induced phase transition, which was increased linearly with thickness, further confirming that the phase transition was caused by the accumulation of thermal effects of a high-repetition-frequency laser. The phase transition process is reversible and causes substantial changes in optical properties of the film, which holds significant promise for all-optical switches and related applications.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Transitions: Vaporization and Condensation
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition
Phase Transitions
UV–Vis Spectroscopy: Molecular Electronic Transitions
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
Phase Diagram

