Scandium doping brings speed improvement in Sb2Te alloy for phase change random access memory application

Abstract

Phase change random access memory (PCRAM) has gained much attention as a candidate for nonvolatile memory application. To develop PCRAM materials with better properties, especially to draw closer to dynamic random access memory (DRAM), the key challenge is to research new high-speed phase change materials. Here, Scandium (Sc) has been found it is helpful to get high-speed and good stability after doping in Sb2Te alloy. Sc0.1Sb2Te based PCRAM cell can achieve reversible switching by applying even 6 ns voltage pulse experimentally. And, Sc doping not only promotes amorphous stability but also improves the endurance ability comparing with pure Sb2Te alloy. Moreover, according to DFT calculations, strong Sc-Te bonds lead to the rigidity of Sc centered octahedrons, which may act as crystallization precursors in recrystallization process to boost the set speed.

Enabling Active Nanotechnologies by Phase Transition: From Electronics, Photonics to Thermotics

“…Apart from titanium, other elements were also doped in Sb–Te alloy including Al, Sc, , Er, Ag, Zn, V, Mo, and Ta . After incorporation with these impurities, most of the doped Sb–Te materials show good performance in SET speed (due to growth-dominated crystallization process) and thermal stability (increased crystallization temperature via doping effect).…”

Tunable, reversible resistive switching behavior of PVA-zirconia nanocomposite films and validation of the trap-assisted switching mechanism by the selective application of external bias voltages

“…Static random-access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) have already achieved their scaling limits. [1][2][3][4][5][6] Thus, the prime focus is now on new approaches toward alternative memory technologies, such as magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM), phase change random access memory (PCRAM), and resistive random-access memory (ReRAM). Low power consumption, strong scalability, high-speed operation, and high integrated energy density with a straightforward metal-insulator-metal (MIM) structure of ReRAM have made it quite advantageous for NVM devices.…”

Enhancement of dielectric relaxation and AC conductivity of Te(1−x)(GeSe0.5)Scx (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) chalcogenide glasses by a rare-earth dopant

“…11 Chen et al analyzed speed enhancement by Sc incorporation in Sb 2 Te for optical data storage applications. 12 Wang et al investigated low power consumption and high operation speed by addition of scandium in Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 . 13 Chamuah et al 14,15 studied electrical relaxation, physical properties, density of states, and AC and DC conductivity of an Ag 2 S–Ge–Te–Se system.…”