In situ TEM study of crystallization and chemical changes in an oxidized uncapped Ge2Sb2Te5 film

Singh, Manish Kumar; Ghosh, Chanchal; Miller, Benjamin; Kotula, Paul G.; Tripathi, Shalini; Watt, John; Bakan, Gokhan; Silva, Helena; Carter, C. Barry

doi:10.1063/5.0023761

In situ TEM study of crystallization and chemical changes in an oxidized uncapped Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film

Journal Article · Tue Sep 29 00:00:00 EDT 2020 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0023761· OSTI ID:1735998

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Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States)
Gatan Inc., Pleasanton, CA (United States)
Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)
Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States); Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Univ. of Manchester (United Kingdom)
Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (United States); Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (GST-225) has been the most used active material in nonvolatile phase-change memory devices. Understanding the kinetics and dynamics involved in crystallization is critical for the optimization of materials and devices. A GST-225 thin film of 20 nm thickness was prepared by sputtering directly onto a Protochip and left uncapped and exposed to atmosphere for approximately 1 year. Here, early stages of crystallization and growth of the film have been studied inside the TEM from room temperature to 140 °C. The morphological and structural transformations have been studied by a C_s-corrected environmental TEM, and images have been recorded using a high-speed low electron dose camera (Gatan K3 IS). The amorphous to crystalline transformation has been observed at ~35 °C. From the large field, high-resolution images obtained using the Gatan K3 IS camera early crystallization can be detected and nucleation rates and growth velocities can be obtained.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC05-76RL01830; NA0003525; 89233218CNA000001

OSTI ID:: 1735998

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1766999
OSTI ID: 1782581

Report Number(s):: PNNL-SA--156726

Journal Information:: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 128; ISSN 0021-8979

Publisher:: American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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In situ TEM study of crystallization and chemical changes in an oxidized uncapped Ge2Sb2Te5 film

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In situ TEM study of crystallization and chemical changes in an oxidized uncapped Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film