Influence of Sn doping upon the phase change characteristics of Ge2Sb2Te5

Abstract

The influence of Sn doping upon the phase change characteristics of Ge2Sb2Te5 alloys has been investigated using four-point-probe electrical resistance measurements, grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray reflectometry (XRR) and variable incident angle spectroscopic ellipsometry (VASE), a static tester and atomic force microscopy (AFM). For a Ge2Sb2Te5 alloy doped with 4% Sn, two transition temperatures are observed in the temperature dependent sheet resistance measurements at 125 °C and 250 °C, respectively. The evolution of structures upon annealing, investigated by XRD, reveals that the first transition is caused by the crystallization of the amorphous film to a NaCl-type structure, while the second transition is related to the transition to a hexagonal structure. The density values of 6.02 ± 0.05 g cm–3, 6.38 ± 0.05 gcm–3 and 6.42 ± 0.05 gcm–3 are measured by XRR for the film in the amorphous, NaCl-type and hexagonal structure, respectively. Ultra-fast crystallization, which is correlated with a single NaCl-structure phase and the reduced activation barrier, is demonstrated. Sufficient optical contrast is exhibited and can be correlated with the density change upon crystallization. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)