Optimizing the synthesis of vanadium–oxygen nanostructures by plasma plume dynamics using optical imaging

Abstract

The effect of an oxygen atmosphere on the expansion dynamics of a laser-produced vanadium-oxygen plasma has been investigated using a fast intensified charged-coupled device camera. We find regimes of the plasma plume expansion ranging from a free plume at vacuum and low oxygen pressures, through collisional and shock-wave-like hydrodynamic regimes at intermediate oxygen pressure, finally reaching a confined plume with subsequent thermalization of the plume particles at the highest pressure of the oxygen gas. Vanadium oxide nanostructures thin films were synthesized from this plasma and the resulting vanadium oxide phases studied as a function of the plume dynamics. We found monoclinic vanadium dioxide (VO2) (M1) and VO2 (B) nanoparticles in thin films deposited at 0.05 mbar. Pure phases of vanadium trioxide (V2O3) smooth and pentoxide (V2O5) nanorods thin films were detected at 0.01 and 0.1 to 0.2 mbar, respectively. Thin films containing VO2 (M1) were found to have a reversible metal-to-insulator transition at 61°C. This work paves the way to VO phase control by judicious choice of laser and plasma conditions.