Formation of Threshold Switching Chalcogenide for Phase Change Switch Applications

Abstract

The programmable switches which control the delivery of electrical signals in programmable logic devices are fabricated using memory technology. Although phase change memory (PCM) technology is one of the most promising candidates for the manufacturing of the programmable switches, the threshold switching material should be added to a PCM cell for realization of the programmable switches based on PCM technology. In this work, we report the impurity-doped Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) chalcogenide alloy exhibiting threshold switching property.Unlike the GST thin film, the doped GST thin film prepared by the incorporation of In and P into GST is not crystallized even at the postannealing temperature higher than 200 o C.This specific crystallization behavior in the doped GST thin film is attributed to the stabilization of the amorphous phase of GST by In and P doping.