Hysteresis in the electronic transport of V2O3 thin films: non-exponential kinetics and range scale of phase coexistence

TL;DR

This study investigates the thermal hysteresis and phase coexistence in V2O3 thin films, revealing slow relaxation dynamics, spinodal temperatures, and substrate-induced effective pressure effects on phase behavior.

Contribution

It provides new insights into the non-exponential kinetics and the range of phase coexistence in V2O3 thin films, linking film behavior to bulk phase diagrams.

Findings

Resistance relaxation is very slow and out-of-equilibrium.

Partial cycles reveal phase coexistence and spinodal temperatures.

Phase coexistence range aligns with bulk phase diagram under effective pressure.

Abstract

The thermal hysteresis of the electronic transport properties were studied for V2O3 thin films. The temporal evolution of the resistance shows the out-of-equilibrium nature of this hysteresis with a very slow relaxation. Partial cycles reveal not only a behavior consistent with phase coexistence, but also the presence of spinodal temperatures which are largely separated. The temperature spreading of phase coexistence is consistent with the bulk phase diagram in the pressure-temperature plane, confirming that the film is effectively under an effective pressure induced by the substrate.