Crystallization behaviors of Zn_xSb_100−x thin films for ultralong data retention phase change memory applications

Abstract

ZnSb films have higher crystallization temperature (~257 °C), larger crystalline activation energy (~5.63 eV), better 10 year-data-retention (~201 °C) and lower melting temperature (~500 °C).

Investigation on pseudo-binary ZnSb–Sb2Te3 material for phase change memory application

“…ZnSb is a direct bandgap material of interest for the production of PCM due to its wide band gap, high crystallization temperature, and good data retention [23,24]. Few study reports on the effect of ZnSb on phase change behavior of Sb 2 Te 3 material, and whether the pseudobinary ZnSb-Sb 2 Te 3 material can possess the characteristics of good thermal stability and fast crystallization speed from ZnSb and Sb 2 Te 3 , respectively, or even show better phase change properties will be elucidated.…”

Suppression for an intermediate phase in ZnSb films by NiO-doping

“…Recently, Te-free compounds, including CSb 8 , GaSb 9 , GeSb 10 , ZnSb 11 , NSb 12 and OSb 13 , have been widely used as phase-change materials because of their growth-dominated crystallization mechanism and rapid amorphous-to-crystalline transitions. Binary Zn-Sb systems, such as ZnSb and β-Zn 4 Sb 3 , are promising p-type materials 14 .…”

“…In particular, ZnSb is a binary compound with a high carrier concentration of 10 19 cm −3 , which makes a major contribution to the change of the film resistance 14 . Moreover, compared with the properties of GST, ZnSb films present a high crystallization temperature (~257 °C), good data retention (~201 °C), low melting temperature (~500 °C), fast crystallization speed and high crystalline resistance 11 . Amorphous ZnSb films also exhibit a two-step crystallization process from an amorphous to a metastable ZnSb phase at 250 °C and then to a stable ZnSb phase at 350 °C 11 ; however, the resistance ratio between the metastable and stable phases is limited to approximately one order of magnitude.…”

Fast reversible laser-induced crystallization of Sb-rich Zn-Sb-Se phase change material with excellent stability

“…As shown in Fig. 1(d), the values of 10-yr data retention for Zn-Sb-Se films are higher than that of conventional GST film (∼89 • C), 13 implying they have a better data retention ability. However, with the excess Zn content, the value of E a and 10-yr data retention decrease as listed in the Table I, as well as the T c .…”

“…1(a) and the results listed in Table I. Apparently, the T c s are higher than that of GST (∼168 • C), 13 which is in favor of preventing spontaneous crystallization of the amorphous phase at room temperature.…”