Journal Article

FZJ-2022-02238

http://join2-wiki.gsi.de/foswiki/pub/Main/Artwork/join2_logo100x88.png Fragile-to-Strong Transition in Phase-Change Material Ge3Sb6Te5

Pries, J. ; Weber, H. ; Benke-Jacob, J. ; Kaban, I. ; Wei, S. ; Wuttig, M. (Corresponding author)FZJ* ; Lucas, P.

2022
Wiley-VCH Weinheim

This record in other databases:  

Please use a persistent id in citations: http://hdl.handle.net/2128/31711  doi:10.1002/adfm.202202714

Abstract: Chalcogenide phase-change materials combine a remarkable set of properties that makes them promising candidates for future non-volatile memory applications. Binary data storage exploits the high contrast in electrical and optical properties between the covalent amorphous and metavalent crystalline phase. Here the authors perform an analysis of the liquid phase kinetics of the phase-change material Ge3Sb6Te5, which is the key to ultrafast switching speeds. By employing four experimental techniques, the viscosity is measured over sixteen orders of magnitude despite its propensity for fast crystallization. These measurements reveal that the liquid undergoes a transition in viscosity–temperature dependence associated with a liquid–liquid phase transition. The system exhibits a shallow viscosity change with temperature near the glass transition which stabilizes the memory cells in the amorphous state and which limits the severity of relaxation processes. Meanwhile, when heated during the writing process, the fragility increases to more than double, causing the viscosity to drop rapidly enabling a nanosecond crystallization speed. This change in viscosity–temperature dependence is highly unusual among glass forming liquids and is reminiscent of the behavior of water. This viscosity transition is also key to the technological success of phase-change materials for computer memory applications.

---

Contributing Institute(s):

1. JARA Institut Green IT (PGI-10)

Research Program(s):

1. 5233 - Memristive Materials and Devices (POF4-523) (POF4-523)

Appears in the scientific report 2022

---

Database coverage:
; ; ; Clarivate Analytics Master Journal List ; Current Contents - Electronics and Telecommunications Collection ; Current Contents - Engineering, Computing and Technology ; Current Contents - Physical, Chemical and Earth Sciences ; DEAL Wiley ; Ebsco Academic Search ; Essential Science Indicators ; IF >= 15 ; JCR ; SCOPUS ; Science Citation Index Expanded ; Web of Science Core Collection

---