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Updated: May 11, 2026

Atomic Layer Deposition of Vanadium Dioxide and a Temperature-dependent Optical Model
Published on: May 23, 2018
Tunable optical anisotropy in epitaxial phase-change VO2 thin films.
Jimmy John1, Amine Slassi2, Jianing Sun3
1Université de Lyon, Institut des Nanotechnologies de Lyon (INL) UMR 5270 CNRS, École Centrale de Lyon, 36 Avenue Guy de Collongue, Ecully 69134, France.
We demonstrate tunable optical anisotropy in vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films. These films switch between birefringent and hyperbolic properties, enabling novel optical devices.
Area of Science:
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Materials Science
- Nanophotonics
Background:
- Vanadium dioxide (VO2) exhibits a unique insulator-to-metal transition.
- Optical anisotropy is crucial for advanced photonic applications.
- Controlling anisotropy dynamically offers new device functionalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate strong and tunable optical anisotropy in epitaxially-grown VO2 thin films.
- To investigate the dynamic switching of optical properties.
- To explore VO2 as a platform for multi-functional photonic devices.
Main Methods:
- Theoretical modeling using first-principle calculations.
- Experimental characterization including temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic ellipsometry.
- Analysis of optical properties across the insulator-to-metal transition.
Main Results:
- Achieved ultra-large birefringence (Δn > 0.9) in VO2 thin films.
- Demonstrated dynamic switching between birefringent and hyperbolic optical regimes.
- Confirmed strong and tunable optical anisotropy.
Conclusions:
- Epitaxially-grown VO2 thin films offer a promising platform for tunable optical anisotropy.
- The dynamic switching capability enables novel multi-functional photonic devices.
- This work paves the way for advanced applications exploiting hyperbolic dispersion and tunable anisotropy.
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