Crystallization times of as-deposited and melt-quenched amorphous phase change materials

Abstract

The crystallization time of various phase change materials including Ge15Sb85, Ag- and In-doped Sb2Te (AIST), Ge3Sb6Te5 and Ge2Sb2Te5 was studied using static laser testers. It was found that there is a large difference in crystallization time between these materials. In addition, for some materials there is a large difference (up to almost three orders of magnitude) between the crystallization time of as-deposited, amorphous, and melt-quenched, amorphous material. The crystallization time of as-deposited materials ranges from about 150 ns for Ge2Sb2Te5 to tens of mus for AIST, while the crystallization time for melt-quenched, amorphous materials varies between 20 ns for Ge15Sb85 and about 1mus for Ge3Sb6Te5.