Deposition and characterization of CVD-grown Ge-Sb thin film device for phase-change memory application

Abstract

Germanium antimony (Ge-Sb) thin films with tuneable compositions have been fabricated on SiO2/Si, borosilicate glass, and quartz glass substrates by chemical vapour deposition (CVD). Deposition takes place at atmospheric pressure using metal chloride precursors at reaction temperatures between 750 and 875C. The compositions and structures of these thin films have been characterized by micro-Raman, scanning electron microscope (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. A prototype Ge-Sb thin film phase-change memory device has been fabricated and reversible threshold and phase-change switching demonstrated electrically, with a threshold voltage of 2.22.5V. These CVD-grown Ge-Sb films show promise for applications such as phase-change memory and optical, electronic, and plasmonic switching. Copyright © 2012 C. C. Huang et al.