Electrical characterization of vanadium dioxide (VO2) thin films grown by magnetron sputtering technique

The aim of this thesis is to determine the parameters required for the production of pure VO₂ thin films and to evaluate the usability of these films by calculating their MIT ratios. Vanadium dioxide (VO₂), a substance that exhibits a phase transition from the insulating state to the metallic state at approximately 68 °C, shows significant changes in its electrical conductivity and optical properties. To get pure VO2 thin films, and get optimum parameters for deposition, several parameters were varied during the manufacturing process, including temperature, oxygen-argon ratio, and coating time. Then, electrical characterization of the produced films was performed. Examining the temperature dependence of the resistance of thin films has been a critical aspect of electrical measurements to determine the MIT transition. With the help of the probe station, it was determined that the MIT transition occurred at approximately 68 °C. The results obtained using structural characterization techniques revealed that characteristic vibration modes were observed in the analyses performed with Raman spectroscopy, while XRD analyses revealed that the crystal structure was preserved. Additionally, XPS analyses did not detect any surface contamination other than carbon. SEM and EDX analyses evaluated the surface morphology and elemental stoichiometry and showed that the internal structure of the films was intact. These results support the usability of VO₂ thin films in advanced electronic and optical applications and contribute to the determination of optimum production parameters. This thesis demonstrates the potential of VO₂ in various technological applications by efficiently utilizing MIT properties.