Resistance noise at the metal–insulator transition in thermochromic VO2 films

Abstract

Thermochromic VO2 films were prepared by reactive DC magnetron sputtering onto heated sapphire substrates and were used to make 100-nm-thick samples that were 10 μm wide and 100 μm long. The resistance of these samples changed by a factor ∼2000 in the 50 < Ts < 70 °C range of temperature Ts around the “critical” temperature Tc between a low-temperature semiconducting phase and a high-temperature metallic-like phase of VO2. Power density spectra S(f) were extracted for resistance noise around Tc and demonstrated unambiguous 1/f behavior. Data on S(10 Hz)/Rs2 scaled as Rsx, where Rs is sample resistance; the noise exponent x was −2.6 for Ts < Tc and +2.6 for Ts > Tc. These exponents can be reconciled with the Pennetta–Trefán–Reggiani theory [Pennetta et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 5238 (2000)] for lattice percolation with switching disorder ensuing from random defect generation and healing in steady state. Our work hence highlights the dynamic features of the percolating semiconducting and metallic-like regions around Tc in thermochromic VO2 films.