Multichromic Vanadium Pentoxide Thin Films Through Ultrasonic Spray Deposition

Abstract

Vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) is a highly promising material for optoelectronic applications due to its wide optical band gap, significant thermal/chemical stability, and intriguing multichromic properties. Nonetheless, the production of uniform and crack-free V2O5 thin films over large areas via conventional deposition methods remain to be a challenge. In this work, we demonstrate deposition of microscopically uniform, large area (15 cm × 15 cm), nanocrystalline and multichromic V2O5 thin films onto fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrates via ultrasonic spray deposition (USD) method. Thin-film formation behavior, microstructural and optoelectronic properties of the deposited films were investigated as a function of post-deposition annealing temperature. Electrochromic performance of the fabricated films up to an area of 15 cm × 15 cm was monitored using cyclic voltammetry (CV), where 3 different coloration states of V2O5 were observed under different applied potentials. Electrochromic devices fabricated with the deposited V2O5 thin films were found to be stable up to 1000 cycles. Results presented herein provide a new roadmap for the large area deposition of V2O5 through USD method, which can be readily extended to a vast number of other functional metal oxide systems.