Fabrication of vanadium oxide thin film with high-temperature coefficient of resistance using V 2O 5/V/V 2O 5 multi-layers for uncooled microbolometers

Abstract

Vanadium oxide thin film is a promising material for uncooled microbolometers due to its high temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) at room temperature. It is, however, very difficult to deposit vanadium oxide thin films having a high temperature coefficient of resistance and low resistance because of the process limits in microbolometer fabrication. We present a novel fabrication method for vanadium oxide thin films having good electrical properties. Through the formation of a sandwich structure of V 2O 5 (100 Å)/V (∼80 Å)/V 2O 5 (500 Å) by a conventional sputter method and post-annealing at 300 °C in oxygen, a mixed phase of VO x is formed. The results show that the mixed phase formed by this process has a high TCR of more than −2%/°C and low resistivity of <0.1 Ω cm at room temperature.