Investigation of Ga8Sb34Se58 Material for Low-Power Phase Change Memory

Abstract

With crystallization temperature of about 242°C and activation energy of crystallization of around 3.66 eV, Ga8Sb34Se58 material is demonstrated to be a great potential for ultralong retention phase change memory (PCM). The rhombohedral Sb and orthorhombic Sb2Se3 nanometer-size phases are evenly embedded into the crystalline Ga8Sb34Se58 material. The density change upon amorphous-to-crystalline transition is about 4.8% which is smaller than that of Ge2Sb2Te5. The reversible phase transition can be realized by both picosecond laser and nanosecond electrical pulses. Ga8Sb34Se58-based PCM cell requires a low power as a result of its low melting point (about 488°C) and low thermal conductivity (about 0.34 W/m·K).