  An abrupt first-order metal-insulator transition (MIT) without structural
phase transition is first observed by current-voltage measurements and
micro-Raman scattering experiments, when a DC electric field is applied to a
Mott insulator VO_2 based two-terminal device. An abrupt current jump is
measured at a critical electric field. The Raman-shift frequency and the
bandwidth of the most predominant Raman-active A_g mode, excited by the
electric field, do not change through the abrupt MIT, while, they, excited by
temperature, pronouncedly soften and damp (structural MIT), respectively. This
structural MIT is found to occur secondarily.
