Vanadium oxide nanostructures have emerged as a promising material system for a wide range of applications, based on their structural, electronic, optical and catalytic properties. The multiple phases of vanadium oxide, among them V₂O₃, VO₂ and V₂O₅, feature distinct crystal structures and properties, which contribute to their versatility. Sol-gel synthesis, hydrothermal methods, physical vapour deposition, sputter deposition, chemical vapour deposition, atomic layer deposition (ALD) and solid-state reactions are all available as fabrication routes. Among these, ALD offers precise control over the conformality, thickness and composition of thin films, which opens up unique possibilities for the functionalisation of previously prepared nanostructured templates with vanadium oxides.
The review summarises recent advancements in the synthesis of ALD-based vanadium oxide nanostructures, focusing on suitable ALD precursors, ALD process conditions and the post-deposition thermal annealing treatments required to transform the as-deposited vanadium oxide films into distinguished crystalline phases.
The functional properties of ALD-based vanadium oxide nanostructures are presented for catalysis, electrochemical energy storage, sensors and stimuli-responsive smart devices. Existing challenges in fabrication and in practical application are discussed alongside them.
Future perspectives on tailoring the properties of ALD-based vanadium oxide nanostructures are outlined, either by adjusting the templates, by optimising the vanadium oxide film thickness or by utilising supercycle ALD processes. These routes can pave the way for sustainable applications and smart devices.
The review is a collaboration between the Electron Microscopy Unit (BeEM) at Hamburg University of Technology, the Center for Hybrid Nanostructures (CHyN) at the University of Hamburg and the Institute for Applied Materials (IAM) at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, carried out within the Cluster of Excellence BlueMat (EXC 3120) and the Collaborative Research Centre CRC 1615 (SMART Reactors).
Carina Hedrich, Robert H. Blick, Martin Ritter, Robert Zierold, Kaline P. Furlan (2026). Functional vanadium oxide nanostructures fabricated via atomic layer deposition: A review. Applied Materials Today 50, 103248.
