□ As a result of successfully studying the phenomenon and controlling the characteristics of ‘metal-insulator phase transition’ for single-crystalline vanadium dioxide (VO2) through differences in oxygen contents of oxides, we have taken a step closer to the development of optical devices, next-generation memory devices, and next-generation switching devices. (※ What is phase transitional phenomenon? It refers to the solid, liquid and gaseous states changing into other states. The phase transitional phenomenon where the metallic state that carries electricity is transformed into the insulator that doesn’t insulate to electricity according to temperature changes is called ‘metal-insulator phase transition (MIT)’.).

□ On March 13, 2013, the research team of professor Bong Joong Kim (corresponding author) at Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST/ President, Young Joon Kim) announced that they have succeeded in controlling the phase transitional characteristics by studying the effects that the oxygen contents of nano-oxide for single-crystalline vanadium dioxide (VO2) with ‘the phase transitional characteristics between metals and insulators’ have on changes made by structural, chemical and electrical characteristics for vanadium dioxide (VO2). They worked on a joint research with joint corresponding authors, including the research team of Dr. Woong Gi Hong at Jeonju Center of Korea Basic Science Institute (President, Kwang Hwa Chung/ hereinafter referred to as ‘KBSI’) and the research team of professor Tak Hee Lee at Seoul National University.

○ This research was implemented under the support of GIST’s Research Institute for Solar & Sustainable Energies, KBSI, and the Research Leader Support Program (Creative Research) for Ministry of Education, Science and Technology. The research result was published in the March 4th online edition of Nano Letters, which is the most prestige press in the field of nanotechnology (thesis: Hydrogen-Induced Morphotropic Phase Transformation of Single-Crystalline Vanadium Dioxide Nanobeams, IF=13.198).