High contrast optical switching in vanadium dioxide thin films

Thermochromic vanadium dioxide thin films prepared by radio-frequency sputtering exhibit controllable transmittance at 1550 nm with a dynamic range exceeding 10(3). Efficient optical control with a laser beam at 532 nm is demonstrated with intensities as low as 3 W/cm(2). Optical switch-on times as short as 100 mu s are reported. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.