Fabrication of VO2-based multilayer structure with variable emittance

VO2 film holds promise for smart radiation device (SRD) use because of its infrared reflection change through the semiconductor-to-metal transition (SMT). In present study, a multilayer structure which consisted of VO2 layer, HfO2 layer and Ag layer was fabricated to achieve variable emittance based on the principle of reflection filter and SMT of VO2. It was found that with optimal 50 nm-thick VO2 layer, emittance of the multilayer structure could reversibly change from 0.13 at 30 °C to 0.68 at 80 °C with emittance variability of 0.55. Emittance hysteresis loop with transition temperature (Tc) of 58 °C and narrow width of 4 °C was obtained. Finally, multilayer structures with W-doped VO2 films were deposited and transition temperature decreased from 58 to 5 °C as W doping concentration increased from 0% to 3%, with Tc decreasing efficiency of −17.2 °C/at%. However, W doping also led to increased low temperature infrared absorption of VO2 film, which resulted in decreased emittance variability for the multilayer structure, from 0.55 to 0.37 as the W doping concentration in VO2 layer increase from 0% to 3%.