Smart-DVD: Doped Vanadium Dioxide for applications in ultrafast photonics and smart radiators

PROJECT COST:

871 788 $

PRIMA CONTRIBUTION:

385 068 $

PROJECT DETAILS:

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) is a tunable functional material that undergoes a metal–insulator transition (MIT) at 68 °C, which is highly sensitive to external stimuli such as temperature, light, and other perturbations. This transition is accompanied by a pronounced change in infrared transmission (optical contrast), making VO₂ a promising candidate for applications in optical switches, non-volatile memories, and sensors. To unlock the full technological potential of this exceptional material, it is essential to tailor the transition temperature to values near room temperature—an important requirement for most practical applications—while preserving its large optical contrast. The Smart-DVD project addresses this challenge by modulating the MIT characteristics through doping, structural engineering, and coupling doped VO₂ (DVD) with nanoscale objects.

The main challenges to be addressed are: (i) lowering the transition temperature to approximately 25 °C without compromising the infrared transmission ratio, and (ii) elucidating the fundamental mechanisms governing the MIT dynamics in DVD films. Advancing knowledge in these areas could enable major breakthroughs in ultrafast photonics, through collaboration with O/E Land, as well as in the development of smart radiators (SRD) for miniaturized satellites, in partnership with MPB Communications. This project will provide O/E Land with the opportunity to diversify its product portfolio by integrating devices based on DVD materials, while strengthening MPB Communications’ position as a global leader in next-generation SRD manufacturing. Furthermore, Smart-DVD will contribute to the training of highly qualified personnel, including one master’s student, one PhD. candidate, and two postdoctoral fellows.