Theoretical and Experimental Aspects of Current and Future Research on NbO₂ Thin Film Devices

The present research front of NbO2 based memory, energy generation, and storage thin film devices is reviewed. Sputtering plasmas contain NbO, NbO2, and NbO3 clusters, affecting nucleation and growth of NbO2, often leading to a formation of nanorods and nanoslices. NbO2 (I41/a) undergoes the Mott topological transition at 1081 K to rutile (P42/mnm), yielding changes in the electronic structure, which is primarily utilized in memristors. The Seebeck coefficient is a key physical parameter governing the performance of thermoelectric devices, but its temperature behavior is still controversial. Nonetheless, they perform efficiently above 900 K. There is a great potential to improve NbO2 batteries since the theoretical capacity has not been reached, which may be addressed by future diffusion studies. Thermal management of functional materials, comprising thermal stress, thermal fatigue, and thermal shock, is often overlooked even though it can lead to failure. NbO2 exhibits relatively low thermal expansion and high elastic modulus. The future for NbO2 thin film devices looks promising, but there are issues that need to be tackled, such as dependence of properties on strain and grain size, multiple interfaces with point and extended defects, and interaction with various natural and artificial environments, enabling multifunctional applications and durable performance.