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Photoelectron dispersion in metallic and insulating VO2 thin films

Viktor Jonsson, Luca Piazza, Martin Månsson, Jonas Weissenrieder*, and Oscar Tjernberg†

Sergiy Khartsev

Yasmine Sassa

Daniel G. Mazzone

Nicolas Gauthier

Matthias Muntwiler

Chin Shen Ong, Diana Iuşan, and Patrik Thunström

Olle Eriksson

  • Materials and Nano Physics, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Hannes Alfvéns väg 12, 11419 Stockholm, Sweden

  • Division of Electronics and Embedded Systems, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Electrum 229, 16440 Kista, Stockholm, Sweden

  • Department of Physics, Chalmers University of Technology, 41296 Göteborg, Sweden

  • Laboratory for Neutron Scattering and Imaging, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

  • Laboratory for Scientific Developments and Novel Materials, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

  • Photon Science Division, Paul Scherrer Institut, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden

  • Department of Physics and Astronomy, Uppsala University, Box 516, 75120 Uppsala, Sweden and School of Science and Technology, Örebro University, Fakultetsgatan 1, 701 82 Örebro, Sweden

  • *jonas@kth.se
  • †oscar@kth.se
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Phys. Rev. Research 3, 033286 – Published 29 September, 2021

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevResearch.3.033286

Abstract

The underlying mechanism behind the metal-to-insulator transition in VO2 is still a topic of intense debate. The two leading theoretical interpretations associate the transition with either electron-lattice or electron-electron correlations. Novel experimental results are required to converge towards one of the two scenarios. Here we report on a temperature-dependent angle-resolved photoelectron study of VO2 thin films across the metal-to-insulator transition. The obtained experimental results are compared to density functional theory calculations. We find an overall energy shift and compression of the electronic band structure across the transition while the overall band topology is conserved. The results demonstrate the importance of electron-electron correlations in establishing the insulating state.

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Phys. Rev. Research 3, 033286– Published 29 September, 2021
  • Received 17 February 2020
  • Revised 15 June 2021
  • Accepted 4 August 2021
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