Thermochromic VO2 on Zinnwaldite Mica by pulsed laser deposition

VO2 thin films have been deposited by pulsed laser deposition on Zinnwaldite Mica substrates. The crystal structure, chemical composition, morphology were determined and the semiconductor/metal transition (SMT) properties of the deposited films were investigated. Without any post annealing, the films exhibit a textured nature with a VO2 (0 1 1) preferred crystallographic orientation and an elevated thermal variation of the electric resistance ratio RS/RM through the SMT at T ≈ 68 °C of the order of 104 and a narrow ∼7 °C hysteresis. In addition, the growth of the VO2 crystallites seem to be governed likely by a Volmer-Weber or Stranski-Krastanov mechanisms and certainly not a Frank-van Der Merwe process.