Single-crystal synchrotron X-ray diffraction study reveals bulk intermediate M2 phase during the VO₂ insulator-to-metal transition.

ABSTRACT: The structure of solid state grown VO₂ crystals was characterized by synchrotron single crystal X-ray diffraction in the temperature region 300-355 K. Upon heating, a phase transition from the M1(P2₁/c) phase to the R(P4₂/mnm) phase was observed at ∼341 K corresponding to the well-known insulator to metal (IMT) phase transition. Upon cooling however, the R phase proceeds first through the intermediate M2 phase between 345 and 340 K before converting to the M1 phase. This constitutes the first observation of the R → M2 → M1 phase progression in pristine free standing single crystals of VO₂, a result reported previously only in doped samples, nanocrystals, and thin films. The vanadium coordination in the M2(C2/

SUBMITTER: Svane J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12477550 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature