Coherent phonon modes of crystalline and amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} thin films: A fingerprint of structure and bonding
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QL (United Kingdom)
- Paul Drude Institute for Solid State Electronics, Hausvogteiplatz 5-7, 10117 Berlin (Germany)
Femtosecond optical pump-probe measurements have been made upon epitaxial, polycrystalline, and amorphous thin films of Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (GST). A dominant coherent optical phonon mode of 3.4 THz frequency is observed in time-resolved anisotropic reflectance (AR) measurements of epitaxial films, and is inferred to have 3-dimensional T{sub 2}-like character based upon the dependence of its amplitude and phase on pump and probe polarization. In contrast, the polycrystalline and amorphous phases exhibit a comparatively weak mode of about 4.5 THz frequency in both reflectivity (R) and AR measurements. Raman microscope measurements confirm the presence of the modes observed in pump-probe measurements, and reveal additional modes. While the Raman spectra are qualitatively similar for all three phases of GST, the mode frequencies are found to be different within experimental error, ranging from 3.2 to 3.6 THz and 4.3 to 4.7 THz, indicating that the detailed crystallographic structure has a significant effect upon the phonon frequency. While the lower frequency (3.6 THz) mode of amorphous GST is most likely associated with GeTe{sub 4} tetrahedra, modes in epitaxial (3.4 THz) and polycrystalline (3.2 THz) GST could be associated with either GeTe{sub 6} octahedra or Sb-Te bonds within defective octahedra. The more polarizable Sb-Te bonds are the most likely origin of the higher frequency (4.3–4.7 THz) mode, although the influence of Te-Te bonds cannot be excluded. The effect of high pump fluence, which leads to irreversible structural changes, has been explored. New modes with frequency of 3.5/3.6 THz in polycrystalline/amorphous GST may be associated with Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} or GeTe{sub 4} tetrahedra, while a 4.2 THz mode observed in epitaxial GST may be related to segregation of Sb.
- OSTI ID:
- 22412847
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 117, Issue 2; Other Information: (c) 2015 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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