Preparation and observation of an artifact-free Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} TEM specimen by the small angle cleavage technique

Journal Article · Sat Apr 15 04:00:00 EDT 2006 · Materials Characterization

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matchar.2005.11.020· OSTI ID:20833201

Kim, M S ^[1]; Kim, H G ^[1]

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1. Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Daejeon 305-701 (Korea, Republic of)

The amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} thin film for the application to the non-volatile memory device was prepared by the pulsed laser deposition on a SiO2/Si substrate. The amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} which has the T{sub C} around 150 deg. C is readily crystallized when exposed to a comparable heat such as the Ar beam irradiation during the conventional ion milling process. Retaining its amorphous initial phase is important in order to precisely observe and understand the crystallization behaviour whether it be the sample for a pure materialistic research or applied into the device. To avoid such deterioration of the film's amorphous nature, the complete mechanical TEM specimen preparation which is called the small angle cleavage technique (SACT) was adopted to show thermally undisturbed, an artifact-free amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} TEM specimen. The two distinctive amorphous and crystalline phases has been observed by the HRTEM study.

• OSTI ID: 20833201
• Journal Information: Materials Characterization, Journal Name: Materials Characterization Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 56; ISSN 1044-5803; ISSN MACHEX
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
CLEAVAGE
CRYSTALLIZATION
ENERGY BEAM DEPOSITION
GERMANIDES
LASER RADIATION
MILLING
PULSED IRRADIATION
TELLURIDES
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY