In this paper, accumulated crystallization of amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (a-GST) films induced by a multi-pulsed nanosecond (ns) excimer laser was investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and a spectrophotometer. XRD analyses revealed that detectable crystallization was firstly observed in the preferred orientation (200), followed by the orientations (220) and (111) after two pulses. Optical contrast, determined by crystallinity as well as surface roughness, was found to retain a linear relation within the first three pulses. A layered growth mechanism from the top surface to the interior of a-GST films was used to explain the crystallization behavior induced by the multi-pulse ns laser. XPS analyses for bond rearrangement and electronic structure further suggested that the crystallization process was performed by generating new bonds of Ge-Te and Sb-Te after laser irradiations. This paper presents the potential of multi-level devices and tunable thermal emitters based on controllable crystallization of phase-change materials.

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Applying fluxing method, hypercooling was achieved in Co80Pd20 alloys. The rapidly solidified microstructures and substructures of hypercooled Co80Pd20 alloys, subjected to rapid quenching and natural cooling after recalescence, have been studied. Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate the substructures such as dislocations in the as solidified microstructures. X-ray diffraction line profile analysis was used for illuminating and determining the microstrain due to rapid solidification in the as solidified microstructures. In the undercooling range studied, the microstrain in the rapidly solidified structures increases with increasing undercooling. Quenching immediately after rapid solidification is helpful to preserving the microstrain in the microstructures.

Accumulated crystallization characteristics of amorphous Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (a-GST) films induced by multi-pulsed laser irradiations with different fluences were investigated by x-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy and spectrophotometer. Solid-state transformation was performed at low fluence (LF, 30.5 mJ cm −2 ), whereas melting-cooling transformation dominated at medium and high fluence (MF, 45.7 and HF, 61 mJ cm −2 ). Solid-state transformation induced by subsequent LF pulses promoted the growth and coalescence of grains, linearly increasing the average grain size, accordingly causing blue-shifts of the Raman spectral peaks. For MF/HF pulse irradiated films, the relatively high laser fluence increased the melting depth and reduced the volume fraction of the crystalline state induced by individual pulses, thereby increasing the threshold of laser pulse numbers for XRD detectable crystallization. However, the remelting depth induced by subsequent MF/HF laser pulse progressively decreased. The remeltingrecrystallization process refined grain sizes, which improved the red-shifts of Raman spectral peaks. Moreover, optical contrast increased dramatically compared to single laser irradiation and five-level storage could be realized for a linear increase of optical contrast. The present study is fundamental for realizing the potential of multi-level devices.