Separating electric field and thermal effects across the metal-insulator   transition in vanadium oxide nanobeams
  We present results from an experimental study of the equilibrium and non-equilibrium transport properties of vanadium oxide nanobeams near the metal-insulator transition (MIT). Application of a large electric field in the insulating phase across the nanobeams produces an abrupt MIT and the individual roles of thermal and non-thermal effects in driving the transition are studied. Transport measurements at temperatures ($T$) far below the critical temperature ($T_c$) of MIT, in several nanoscale vanadium oxide devices, show that both $T$ and electric field play distinctly separate, but critical roles in inducing the MIT. Specifically, at $T << T_c$ electric field dominates the MIT through an avalanche-type process, whereas thermal effects become progressively critical as $T$ approaches $T_c$. 
Adam A. Stabile, Sujay K. Singh, Tai-lung Wu, Luisa Whittaker,   Sarbajit Banerjee and G. Sambandamurthy
cond-mat.str-el cond-mat.mes-hall cond-mat.mtrl-sci