Optical modulation and fabrication of two-dimensional VO2(M)-AgSiO2 shell/core composite photonic crystal structures

doi:10.1088/1674-1056/ae1569

Abstract The high phase transition temperature, low solar modulation efficiency, and unfavorable brown-yellow color have limited the practical application of VO$_{2}$-based smart windows. By embedding a hexagonal close-packed monolayer array of SiO$_{2}$ into the monoclinic VO$_{2}$(M)-Ag composite film using an electron-beam evaporation system, a two-dimensional VO$_{2}$(M)-AgSiO$_{2}$ shell/core photonic crystal composite material was formed. Due to the increased contact area between Ag and VO$_{2}$(M) within the composite material, the concentration of free electrons in VO$_{2}$(M) increases, causing the phase transition to occur at a lower temperature of 52.2 $^\circ$C. With the embedded SiO$_{2}$ array, the solar modulation efficiency is enhanced to 25.4%, and the visible light modulation efficiency increases by nearly 7 times. Additionally, the grating effect of the photonic crystal significantly diffracts light around the 600 nm wavelength, reducing the strong absorption of VO$_{2}$(M) in the shortwave range and diluting its inherent brown-yellow color. By embedding the SiO$_{2}$ array into the VO$_2$(M)-Ag composite film, this approach simultaneously achieves a reduction in phase transition temperature, enhancement of solar modulation efficiency, and color adjustment of the film, providing a reference for the practical application of VO$_{2}$ in smart windows.

Keywords: vanadium dioxide photonic crystal phase transition solar modulation efficiency

Received: 13 August 2025
Revised: 15 October 2025
Accepted manuscript online: 21 October 2025

PACS:	68.03.-g	(Gas-liquid and vacuum-liquid interfaces)
	68.35.-p	(Solid surfaces and solid-solid interfaces: structure and energetics)

Fund: Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 12464004), Hubei Province Natural Science Foundation, China (Grant No. 2025AFB307), Hubei Province Natural Science Foundation Joint Fund Project (Grant No. 2024AFD069), Innovation Fund Project for College Students of Hubei Minzu University (Grant No. S202510517019), and Enshi Catching-up Science and Technology Project (Grants No. XYJ2023000170).

Corresponding Authors: Zhangyang Zhou, Jinqiao Yi
E-mail: zhangyangzhou0000@163.com;2006009@hbmzu.edu.cn

Cite this article:

Jiong Wu(吴炯), Zhangyang Zhou(周章洋), Li Zhu(朱黎), Liushun Wang(王六顺), Ming Du(杜明), Hongjun Wu(吴红君), Qingwei Wang(王情伟), Dahua Ren(任达华), Teng Zhang(张腾), Yongdan Zhu(朱永丹), and Jinqiao Yi(易金桥) Optical modulation and fabrication of two-dimensional VO₂(M)-AgSiO₂ shell/core composite photonic crystal structures 2026 Chin. Phys. B 35 046802

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Optical modulation and fabrication of two-dimensional VO2(M)-AgSiO2 shell/core composite photonic crystal structures

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Optical modulation and fabrication of two-dimensional VO₂(M)-AgSiO₂ shell/core composite photonic crystal structures