Characteristics of Nano-crystalline Ge2Sb2Te5 material for Phase Change Memory

Phase Change Memory (PCM) is a promising candidate for next generation non-volatile memory devices. One of the most attractive candidates for PCM material has been Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) because its phase changes rapidly and reversibly between amorphous and crystalline states. However, there is a problem in the application of GST material for PCM. The GST material needs high temperature reliability for phase transition from a high to a low resistance state, which is called retention. Doping is a method for improving the phase-change characteristics and device performance. The major phase-change characteristic related to doping materials is an increase in the crystallization temperature. It is reported that the crystallization process of GST is controlled by