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Title: Effects of germanium and nitrogen incorporation on crystallization of N-doped Ge{sub 2+x}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (x = 0,1) thin films for phase-change memory

Abstract

The phase-change behavior and microstructure changes of N-doped Ge{sub 3}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}[N-GST(3/2/5)] and Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}[GST(2/2/5)] films during the phase transition from an amorphous to a crystalline phase were studied using in situ temperature-dependent sheet resistance measurements, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The optical band gaps of N-GST(3/2/5) films are higher than that of GST(2/2/5) film in both the amorphous and face-centered-cubic (fcc) phases. Ge nitride formation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis increased the optical band gap and suppressed crystalline grain growth, resulting in an increase in the crystallization temperature and resistance in the fcc phase. As a result, the Ge- and N-doped GST(2/2/5) composite films can be considered as a promising material for phase-change memory application because of improved thermal stability and reduced power consumption.

Authors:
 [1]; ; ; ; ; ;  [1];  [2]
  1. State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 (China)
  2. National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093 (China)
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
22102248
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Applied Physics
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 113; Journal Issue: 4; Other Information: (c) 2013 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); Journal ID: ISSN 0021-8979
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; 75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY; ANTIMONY COMPOUNDS; CRYSTALLIZATION; DOPED MATERIALS; ENERGY GAP; FCC LATTICES; GERMANIUM COMPOUNDS; GLASS; GRAIN GROWTH; MEMORY DEVICES; NITROGEN ADDITIONS; SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS; STABILITY; TELLURIUM COMPOUNDS; TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE; THIN FILMS; TRANSMISSION ELECTRON MICROSCOPY; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY

Citation Formats

Limin, Cheng, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10080, Liangcai, Wu, Zhitang, Song, Feng, Rao, Cheng, Peng, Dongning, Yao, Bo, Liu, and Ling, Xu. Effects of germanium and nitrogen incorporation on crystallization of N-doped Ge{sub 2+x}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (x = 0,1) thin films for phase-change memory. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1063/1.4789388.
Limin, Cheng, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10080, Liangcai, Wu, Zhitang, Song, Feng, Rao, Cheng, Peng, Dongning, Yao, Bo, Liu, & Ling, Xu. Effects of germanium and nitrogen incorporation on crystallization of N-doped Ge{sub 2+x}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (x = 0,1) thin films for phase-change memory. United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4789388
Limin, Cheng, Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10080, Liangcai, Wu, Zhitang, Song, Feng, Rao, Cheng, Peng, Dongning, Yao, Bo, Liu, and Ling, Xu. 2013. "Effects of germanium and nitrogen incorporation on crystallization of N-doped Ge{sub 2+x}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (x = 0,1) thin films for phase-change memory". United States. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4789388.
@article{osti_22102248,
title = {Effects of germanium and nitrogen incorporation on crystallization of N-doped Ge{sub 2+x}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5} (x = 0,1) thin films for phase-change memory},
author = {Limin, Cheng and Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 10080 and Liangcai, Wu and Zhitang, Song and Feng, Rao and Cheng, Peng and Dongning, Yao and Bo, Liu and Ling, Xu},
abstractNote = {The phase-change behavior and microstructure changes of N-doped Ge{sub 3}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}[N-GST(3/2/5)] and Ge{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 5}[GST(2/2/5)] films during the phase transition from an amorphous to a crystalline phase were studied using in situ temperature-dependent sheet resistance measurements, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The optical band gaps of N-GST(3/2/5) films are higher than that of GST(2/2/5) film in both the amorphous and face-centered-cubic (fcc) phases. Ge nitride formation by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis increased the optical band gap and suppressed crystalline grain growth, resulting in an increase in the crystallization temperature and resistance in the fcc phase. As a result, the Ge- and N-doped GST(2/2/5) composite films can be considered as a promising material for phase-change memory application because of improved thermal stability and reduced power consumption.},
doi = {10.1063/1.4789388},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/22102248}, journal = {Journal of Applied Physics},
issn = {0021-8979},
number = 4,
volume = 113,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Mon Jan 28 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}