Electrical conduction through MIM structures of evaporated V2O5 and V2O5/B2O3 amorphous thin films

The electrical conduction through vacuum-evaporated thin films of V₂O₅ and V₂O₅/B₂O₃ in MIM structures has been investigated. The high-field behaviour of both types of film is in accordance with the Poole-Frenkel type of mechanism. The increase in B₂O₃ content in co-evaporated V₂O₅/B₂03 films results in a decrease in the conductivity of the composite films. This is attributed to the expansion of the resultant film structure due to the network-forming effect of B₂O₃. The covaporated thin films of V₂O₅/B₂O₃ with a molar content of B₂O₃ larger than 40% are observed to be unstable because of their hygroscopic nature.