Changes in Chemical and Structural Properties of Phase-Change Material GeTe with Nitrogen Doping and Annealing

Abstract

In this study, changes in the chemical, structural, and electrical properties of undoped and 8.4 at. % nitrogen-doped GeTe films were investigated. The transition temperature of sheet resistance increased as a result of nitrogen doping, which corresponded well with phase transformations. The shift of chemical potential toward lower binding energies strongly depended on crystallization. The Ge/Te ratio showed a tendency to increase towards the surface only for undoped GeTe. Nitrogen doping may suppress the instability of GeTe.