Liquid-diffusion-limited growth of vanadium dioxide single crystals

Vanadium dioxide is a strongly correlated material with an ultrafast first-order phase transition between monoclinic/insulator and rutile/metallic close to room temperature. The unusual and complex properties of this transition make VO_{2} one of the most heavily investigated materials in modern condensed matter physics. Consequently, high-quality single crystals are in large demand. Here we report the growth of mm-sized VO_{2} crystals by thermal decomposition of liquid V_{2}O_{5} at ∼1000^{∘}C. Time-resolved zirconia sensor measurements of the oxygen release reveal that the crystal growth rate is limited by liquid-phase diffusion; the properties of the gaseous environment, which were previously assumed to be decisive, are almost insignificant. Consequently, large and stoichiometric single crystals of VO_{2} can be obtained at lower temperatures and gas purities than usually applied. These results signify the role of gas-liquid diffusion in crystal growth and will simplify future research on VO_{2} and related materials for applications in ultrafast electronics and thermal energy management.