Deposition and dielectric characterization of highly oriented V₂O₅ thin films

The possibility of ferroelectricity in orthorhombic V₂O₅ thin films was investigated. Films were deposited via either a chemical solution deposition (CSD) route or by RF magnetron sputtering. Highly (001) oriented V₂O₅ films were achieved with both deposition routes at temperatures as low as 300°C. No evidence for ferroelectricity was observed, even in films which had been doped to provide local nuclei for polarization reversal. Loss originated from mid-gap trap states stemming from oxygen vacancies that were observed with photoluminescence, supplemented by piezoresponse force microscopy measurements. These trap states may have helped mimic ferroelectricity in previous reports on V₂O₅. Graphical abstract: (Figure presented.).