Direct observations of Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} recording marks in the phase-change disk

Journal Article · Sat May 15 04:00:00 EDT 2010 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3373419· OSTI ID:21476245

Naito, Muneyuki; Ishimaru, Manabu; Hirotsu, Yoshihiko ^[1]; Kojima, Rie; Yamada, Noboru ^[2]

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1. Institute of Scientific and Industrial Research, Osaka University, Mihogaoka, Ibaraki, Osaka 567-0047 (Japan)
2. Digital and Network Technology Development Center, Panasonic Corporation, Yagumo-naka-machi, Moriguchi, Osaka 570-8501 (Japan)

Atomistic structures of the Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} thin film in the real phase-change disk have been investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). As-deposited amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} films were laser-irradiated for initialization (crystallization) and recording. Cross-sectional TEM observations revealed that the recording mark was fully amorphized by laser irradiation. A slight difference between the as-deposited and the laser irradiation-induced amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} was observed in the intensity profile of nanobeam electron diffraction patterns and atomic pair distribution functions. This difference was attributed to structural relaxation of amorphous Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}, which gives rise to the alteration of chemical order.

• OSTI ID: 21476245
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 10 Vol. 107; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AMORPHOUS STATE
ANTIMONIDES
ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS
CHALCOGENIDES
COHERENT SCATTERING
CRYSTALLIZATION
DIFFRACTION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRON DIFFRACTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
FILMS
FUNCTIONS
GERMANIUM COMPOUNDS
GERMANIUM TELLURIDES
GLASS
LASER RADIATION
MATERIALS
MICROSCOPY
PHASE CHANGE MATERIALS
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PNICTIDES
RADIATIONS
RELAXATION
SCATTERING
SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS
TELLURIDES
TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS
THIN FILMS
TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY