Picture of a VO₂ single crystal (grown by chemical vapour transport in the Group of K. Horn, Augsburg).

The crystal was cycled several times through the metal-insulator transition at 340 K. This transition is accompanied with a structural phase transition with a large volume change. This phase transition leads to several cracks in the crystal. The picture was taken at 340 K directly at the phase transition. The darker parts of the picture are in the high tempertaure phase, while the brighter parts are in the low tempertaure phase. By inspecting the picture one can conclude that the phase transition is of first oder.

last updated 14/1/99