Synthesis of V2O3 nanoplates for the exploration of the correlated supercritical state

Peculiar features exist in the stress-temperature phase stability diagram of V2O3, such as a first-order phase transition between the paramagnetic insulating and metallic phases that ends with a critical point, quantum phase transition, and a triple point. These features remain largely unexplored, and the exact nature of the phase transitions is not clear due to very limited control over the stress in bulk or film samples. Here, we show the synthesis of single-crystal V2O3 nanoplates using chemical vapor deposition via van der Waals epitaxy. Thickness of the V2O3 nanoplates range from a few to hundreds of nanometers, and they can be mechanically exfoliated from the growth substrate. Using Raman spectroscopy on the nanoplates, we reveal that, upon heating, V2O3 enters a supercritical state for both tensile strained and relaxed crystals with a similar out-of-plane response. Transmission electron microscopy on V2O3 nanoplates hints at the existence of a structural change when the crystals are heated. Our results show that V2O3 nanoplates should be useful for studying the physics of the supercritical state and the phase stability of V2O3 to enable new horizons in applications.