Quadratic magnetoresistance across the insulator–metal transition in V4O7 thin films

Abstract

We present a comparative magnetotransport study of V4O7 thin films grown simultaneously on single-crystal Al2O3 (r-cut) and amorphous SiO2 substrates to examine substrate-induced effects on electronic transport across the insulator–metal transition (IMT). Temperature-dependent resistivity reveals a broad electronic ordering regime below the IMT, with both films exhibiting similar transition temperatures but differing by nearly an order of magnitude in absolute resistivity. Despite this strong substrate dependence of the resistivity scale, magnetoresistance remains predominantly quadratic in a magnetic field over wide temperature intervals for both substrates. Analysis of the quadratic magnetoresistance defines an effective mobility scale that evolves systematically across the IMT and exhibits similar temperature dependence for the two films. Structural characterization, including atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy of the V4O7/Al2O3 interface and azimuthal x-ray diffraction measurements, reveals a sharp interface and well-defined in-plane crystallographic registry for the r-cut film, in contrast to the rotationally averaged in-plane structure expected for films grown on amorphous SiO2. These results indicate that while substrate-controlled structural registry modifies the resistivity scale, the quadratic magnetotransport response across the IMT remains largely robust, providing a consistent diagnostic of electronic transport in V4O7 thin films.