Enhancement of electronic-transport switching in single-crystal narrower VO2 nanowire channels through side-gate electric fields

Abstract

Investigations of electric field-induced resistance modulation in correlated electron oxides with a metal-insulator transition play a significant role in understanding the behavior of nano-domains via electric perturbation and in paving the way for steep slope switching applications. Here, we report the dependence of the resistance switching effect on both the width of oxide nanowires and their crystallinity in VO2-based planar-type field effect transistors with an air nano-gap gate. A positive electric field yielded an expansion of the metallic nano-domains, while a negative one caused a depletion layer to form. Moreover, narrower VO2 nanowires and single crystal VO2 nanowires showed effective resistance modulation when the gate bias was varied. Our results provide an understanding of the electronic characteristics in metal-insulator nano-domains through carrier modulation and further the development of devices employing metal–insulator nano-domains.