Large (GeTe)(Sb2Te3) ratio phase change memory thin films

Phase change memory thin films from Ge-Sb-Te system with large (GeTe)(Sb2Te3) ratio have been deposited via UV pulsed laser deposition technique. The studied compositions were Ge6Sb2Te9, Ge8Sb2Te11, Ge10Sb2Te13, and Ge12Sb2Te15. Physico-chemical properties of the Ge-Sb-Te thin films, based on the scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction and reflectometry, atomic force microscopy, optical reflectivity, sheet resistance temperature dependences, and variable angle spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements, were studied in order to assess the effect of chemical composition of the deposited layers. All the obtained data confirm the importance of GeTe content in (GeTe)(1-x)(Sb2Te3)(x) thin films