Thermochromic vanadium oxide thin films: Electronic and optical properties

Vanadium dioxide, VO₂, is a widely studied thermochromic material with potential applications in energy efficient window technology. It undergoes a first-order metal-to- insulator transition, accompanied by a crystal structure transformation from monoclinic to tetragonal rutile, at a critical temperature of 68 °C. Below this temperature, VO₂ is semiconducting and infrared transmitting whereas it is metallic and infrared reflecting above the transition temperature. However, in order to achieve significant thermochromic switching, the luminous transmittance of thin films will typically be less than 50%. Here we report on recent research to improve the luminous transmittance as well as the transmittance change at the transition temperature. We systematically evaluate the effect of antireflection coatings, doping with Mg and the performance of coatings comprising thermochromic nanoparticles in a transparent matrix. The last option is shown to give the best performance and holds great promise for practical applications.