Simulation-based calculations of the proton dose in phase change memory cells

Abstract

Monte Carlo simulations of proton irradiation on phase change memory cells were conducted and the proton dose, in both the whole memory cell and in its active layer, calculated. The memory cell was modeled by a multi-layer stack consisting of two TiW electrodes and ZnS-SiO2 films as insulators surrounding the active region. Materials considered for the active region were Ge2Sb2Te5, AgSbSe2, and Si2Sb2Te5. The effects of exposing phase change memory cells to proton beams were investigated for various thicknesses of phase change materials and different proton energies. Radiation-induced changes in the investigated memory cells are presented, including the accumulation of atomic displacements and the thermal heating of the active region. Possible effects of these changes on cell operation are discussed. [Projekat Ministarstva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 171007

Overview of radiation effects on emerging non-volatile memory technologies

“…Monte Carlo sim u la tions of pro ton ir ra di a tion on phase change mem ory cells were con ducted and the pro ton dose, in both the whole mem ory cell and in its ac tive layer, was cal cu lated in [39]. This type of approach in in ves ti gat ing ra di a tion ef fects is valu able since it al lows the as sess ment of the pro ton dose and the over view of ra di a tion ef fects in lay ers of in ter ests for re al is tic pro ton fluences, whereas ac tual ex per i -ments can hardly sep a rate the in flu ence of ra di a tion on the PCM cell alone with out in clud ing the ef fects on pe riph eral cir cuits [40].…”