Van der Waal Epitaxy of Flexible and Transparent VO₂ Film on Muscovite

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is a compelling candidate for next-generation electronics beyond conventional silicon-based devices due to the exhibition of a sharp metal-insulator transition. In this study, in order to realize functional VO₂ film for flexible electronics, the growth of VO₂ film directly on a transparent and flexible muscovite via van der Waals epitaxy is established. The heteroepitaxy and structural transition of VO₂ films on muscovite are examined by a combination of high-resolution X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. The unique metal-insulator transition of VO₂ is further revealed with a change in electrical resistance over 10³ and a more than 50% variation of optical transmittance. Furthermore, due to the nature of muscovite, the VO₂/muscovite heterostructure possesses superior flexibility and optical transparence. The approach developed in this study paves an intriguing way to fabricate functional VO₂ film for the applications in flexible electronics.