Current-voltage curves of eutectic In-Sb-Te thin films for phase change memory devices

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate electrical properties of eutectic In8Sb8Te84 and In10Sb51Te39 as made thin films to evaluate their potential for non-volatile phase-change memories, once the thermal measurements are very optimistic. Design/methodology/approach The films were deposited by pulse laser deposition technique. By using a very simple home-made cell, transversal current-voltage curves films were measured involving both voltage controlled-pulses generator and current controlled-pulses generator, employing different pulse shapes: triangular and sine shaped. Findings The memory effect, characteristic of a typical phase-change memory material, was observed in both materials under research. For higher tellurium content in the film, lower is the value of threshold voltage. Research limitations/implications Further studies on endurance, scaling and SET/RESET operations are needed. Practical implications The values of the key parameters, threshold voltage and hold voltage are comparable with those of Ge2Sb2Te5, GeTe and Sb2Te being considered to date as the main compounds for PCM devices. Originality/value The conduction mechanism in the amorphous regime is agreed with Poole–Frenkel effect in deep traps.

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Eutectic Sb7.4Te92.6 thin film for non-volatile phase-change memories

Microelectronics International ◽

10.1108/mi-03-2019-0016 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (4) ◽

pp. 171-175

Author(s):

Claudio Barbon ◽

Vitaliy Bilovol ◽

Emiliano Javier Di Liscia ◽

Bibiana Arcondo

Keyword(s):

Phase Change ◽

Phase Change Memory ◽

X Ray Diffraction ◽

Scanning Calorimetry ◽

Content Type ◽

Current Voltage ◽

Volatile Phase ◽

Characteristic Values ◽

Practical Implications ◽

Change Memory

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structure and electrical properties of eutectic Sb7.4Te92.6 as made thin films to evaluate their potentiality for application to non-volatile phase-change memories. Design/methodology/approach The films were prepared by the pulsed laser deposition technique. The films were characterized by using X-ray diffraction in grazing-incident geometry, differential scanning calorimetry, Raman spectroscopy and transversal current–voltage curves. Findings The memory effect state, characteristic of a typical phase-change memory material, was observed. The temperature of crystallization was about 100ºC. Research limitations/implications Further studies on endurance, scaling and SET/RESET operations are needed. Practical implications One of the main characteristic values, the hold voltage and the threshold voltage values, were about 0.85 and 1.2 V, respectively, in a line with those of Ge2Sb2Te5, GeTe and Sb2Te being considered to date as the main compounds for phase-change memory devices. Originality/value The conduction mechanism in the amorphous regime is highly agreed with the Poole–Frenkel effect in deep traps.

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