• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2009년도 제38회 동계학술대회 초록집
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• pp.136-136
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• 2010

$Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ (GST)는 광학 스토리지 및 PRAM(Phase-change Random Access Memory)에 적용 가능한 대표적인 상변화 물질이며 상변화 거동에 대한 다양한 연구가 진행되고 있다. 차세대 비휘발성 메모리로 각광을 받고 있는 PRAM의 경우 저전력 그러나 향후 고집적, 고성능 PRAM 소자구현을 위해서는 Reset 전류 감소를 통한 소비 전력 감소, 인접 셀간의 'cross talking'을 방지할 수 있는 열적 안정성 개선 등의 문제점들을 해결해야 한다. GST 물질의 전기적, 열적 특성을 조절하여 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위하여 GST 물질에 이종의 원소를 첨가하는 연구가 활발히 진행되고 있으며, 특히 질소 첨가에 의해 결정 성장 억제를 통한 결정화 온도 증가, 결정질의 저항 증가 등의 보고가 있었다. 본 연구에서는 질소를 첨가한 N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ (NGST) 박막의 상변화 거동을 규명하고 GST 박막과 비교하여 첨가된 질소의 영향을 분석하고자 한다. D.C Magnetron sputtering 방법으로 증착된 GST와 NGST 박막을 등온으로 유지하여 각 온도별로 열처리 시간 증가에 따른 비저항을 실시간으로 측정하여 GST와 NGST 박막의 상분율을 계산하고 Kissinger 모델을 이용하여 effective activation energy ($E_a$)를 구하였다. GST와 NGST 박막의 $E_a$는 각각 $2.08\;{\pm}\;0.11\;eV$와 $2.66\;{\pm}\;0.12\;eV$로 계산되었다. 따라서 첨가된 질소에 의해 NGST 박막의 결정화를 위하여 GST 박막의 경우보다 더 큰 활성화 에너지가 필요하다.

• 대한전기학회논문지:전기물성ㆍ응용부문C
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• 제55권6호
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• pp.297-301
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• 2006

In the present work, we investigate the characteristics of new composition material, chalcogenide $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ material in order to overcome the problems of conventional PRAM devices. The Tc of $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ bulk was measured $231.503^{\circ}C$ with DSC analysis. For static DC test mode, at low voltage, two different resistances are observed. depending on the crystalline state of the phase-change resistor. In the first sweep, the as-deposited amorphous $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ showed very high resistance. However when it reached the threshold voltage(about 11.8 V), the electrical resistance of device was drastically reduced through the formation of an electrically conducting path. The phase transition between the low conductive amorphous state and the high conductive crystal]me state was caused by the set and reset pulses respectively which fed through electrical signal. Set pulse has 4.3 V. 200 ns. then sample resistance is $80\sim100{\Omega}$. Reset pulse has 8.6 V 80 ns, then the sample resistance is $50{\sim}100K{\Omega}$. For such high resistance ratio of $R_{reset}/R_{set}$, we can expect high sensing margin reading the recorded data. We have confirmed that phase change properties of $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ materials are closely related with the structure through the experiment of self-heating layers.

• 대한전기학회:학술대회논문집
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• 대한전기학회 2007년도 제38회 하계학술대회
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• pp.1329-1330
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• 2007

Phase-change random access memory(PRAM) has many advantages compare with the existing memory. For example, fast programming speed, low programming voltage, high sensing margin, low power consume and long cyclability of read/write. Though it has many advantages, there are some points which must be improved. So, we invented and studied new constitution of $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ chalcogenide material. Actually, the performance properties have been improved surprisingly. However, crystallization time was as long as ever for amorphization time. In this paper, we studied in order to make set operation time and reset operation voltage reduced. In the present work, by alloying Sb in $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$. we could confirm that improved its set operation time and reset operation voltage. As a result, the method of Sb-alloyed $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ can be solution to decrease the set operation time and reset operation voltage.

• 한국재료학회지
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.203-206
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• 2009

$Sn_XSe_{100-X}$ (15|X|30) alloys have been studied to explore their suitability as phase change materials for nonvolatile memory applications. The phase change characteristics of thin films prepared by a Radio Frequency (RF) magnetron co-sputtering system were analyzed by an X-ray diffractometer and 4-point probe measurement. A phase change static tester was also used to determine their crystallization under the pulsed laser irradiation. X-ray diffraction measurements show that the transition in sheet resistance is accompanied by crystallization. The amorphous state showed sheet resistances five orders of magnitude higher than that of the crystalline state in $Sn_XSe_{100-X}$ (x = 15, 20, 25, 30) films. In the optimum composition, the minimum time of $Sn_XSe_{100-X}$ alloys for crystallization was 160, 140, 150, and 30ns at 15mW, respectively. The crystallization temperature and the minimum time for crystallization of thin films were increased by increasing the amount of Sn, which is correlated with the activation energy for crystallization.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제37권1호
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• pp.88-93
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• 2024

To evaluate the possibility as a multi-level memory medium for the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅/TiN/W-doped Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ cell structure, the crystallization rate and stabilization characteristics according to voltage (V)- and current (I)- pulse sweeping were investigated. In the cell structures prepared by a magnetron sputtering system on a p-type Si (100) substrate, the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ and W-doped Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ thin films were separated by a barrier metal, TiN, and the individual thicknesses were varied, but the total thickness was fixed at 200 nm. All cell structures exhibited relatively stable multi-level states of high-middle-low resistance (HR-MR-LR), which guarantee the reliability of the multilevel phase-change random access memory (PRAM). The amorphousto-multilevel crystallization rate was evaluated from a graph of resistance (R) vs. pulse duration (T) obtained by the nanoscaled pulse sweeping at a fixed applied voltage (12 V). For all structures, the phase-change rates of HR→MR and MR→LR were estimated to be approximately t<20 ns and t<40 ns, respectively, and the states were relatively stable. We believe that the doublestack structure of an appropriate Ge-Sb-Te film separated by barrier metal (TiN) can be optimized for high-speed and stable multilevel PRAM.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2009년도 추계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.23-23
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• 2009

Recently, the nanowire configuration of GST showed nanosecond-level phase switch at very low power dissipation, suggesting that the nanowires could be ideal for data storage devices. In spite of many advantages of IST materials, their feasibility in both thin films and nanowires for electronic memories has not been extensively investigated. The synthesis of the chalcogenide nanowires was mainly preformed via a vapor transport process such as vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth at a high temperature. However, in this study, IST nanowires as well as thin films were prepared at a low temperature (${\sim}250^{\circ}C$) by metal organic chemical vapor deposition(MOCVD) method, which is possible for large area deposition. The IST films and/or nanowires were selectively grown by a control of working pressure at a constant growth temperature by MOCVD. In-Sb-Te NWs will be good candidate materials for high density PRAM applications. And MOCVD system is powerful for applying ultra scale integration cell.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2010년도 하계학술대회 논문집
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• pp.215-215
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• 2010

The feasibility of InSbTe (IST) chalcogenide materials prepared by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) for phase-change memory (PRAM) applications was demonstrated. Films grown below $225^{\circ}C$ exhibited an amorphous structure, and the films grown at $300^{\circ}C$ Cincluded various crystalline phases such as In-Sb-Te, In-Sb, In-Te, and Sb-Te. The composition of the amorphous films grown at $225^{\circ}C$ was dependent on the working pressure. Films grown at $225^{\circ}C$ exhibited a smooth morphology with a root mean square(rms) roughness of less than 1nm, and the step-coverage of the films grown on a trench structure with an aspect ratio of 5:1 was greater than 90%. An increase in deposition time increased the filling rate, while retaining the conformal step-coverage. Films grown at $225^{\circ}C$ for 3h in a working pressure of $13{\times}10^2$ Pa exhibited a reproducible and complete filling in a trench structure.

• 한국전기전자재료학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국전기전자재료학회 2004년도 추계학술대회 논문집 Vol.17
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• pp.203-206
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• 2004

For the realization of PRAM, $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ (GST) has been employed for the phase transition between the crystal and amorphous states by electrical joule heating. Although there has been a vast amount of results concerning the GST in material aspect for the laser-induced optical storage disc applications, the process-related issues of GST for the PRAM applications have not been reported. In this work, the etching behaviors of GST were investigated when the processing conditions were varied in the high-density helicon plasma. The etching parameters of RF main power, RF bias power, and chamber pressure were fixed at 600 W, 150 W, and 5 mTorr, respectively. For the etching processes, gas mixtures of $Ar/Cl_2$, $Ar/CF_4$, and $Ar/CHF_3$ were employed, in which the etching rates and etching selectivities of GST thin film in given gas mixtures were evaluated. From obtained results, it is found that we can arbitrarily design the etching process according to given cell structures and material combinations for PRAM cell fabrications.

• 한국진공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국진공학회 2013년도 제44회 동계 정기학술대회 초록집
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• pp.186-186
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• 2013

Nitrogen doped Ge-Sb-Te (N-GST) thin films for phase change random access memory (PRAM) applications were investigated by synchrotron-radiation-based x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and absorption spectroscopy. Nitrogen doping in GST resulted in more favorable N atoms' bonding with Ge atoms rather than with Sb and Te atoms [1,2], which explains the higher phase change transition temperature than that of undoped Ge-Sb-Te thin film. Surprisingly, it was noticed that N atoms also existed in the form of molecular nitrogen, $N_2$, which is detrimental to the stability of the GST performance [3]. N-doped GST experimental features were also supported by ab-initio molecular dynamic calculations [2]. References [1] M.-C. Jung, Y. M. Lee, H.-D. Kim, M. G. Kim, and H. J. Shin, K. H. Kim, S. A. Song, H. S. Jeong, C. H. Ko, and M. Han, "Ge nitride formation in N-doped amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5", Appl. Phys. Lett. 91, 083514 (2007). [2] Zhimei Sun, Jian Zhou, Hyun-Joon Shin, Andreas Blomqvist, and Rajeev Ahuja, "Stable nitride complex and molecular nitrogen in N doped amorphous Ge2Sb2Te5", Appl. Phys. Lett. 93, 241908 (2008). [3] Kihong Kim, Ju-Chul Park, Jae-Gwan Chung, and Se Ahn Song, Min-Cherl Jung, Young Mi Lee, Hyun-Joon Shin, Bongjin Kuh, Yongho Ha, Jin-Seo Noh, "Observation of molecular nitrogen in N-doped Ge2Sb2Te5", Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 243520 (2006).

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.133-138
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• 2017

We evaluated the structural, electrical and optical properties of tungsten (W)-doped $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ thin films. In a previous work, GeSbTe alloys were doped with different materials in an attempt to improve thermal stability. 200 mm thick $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ and W-doped $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ films were deposited on p-type Si (100) and glass substrates using a magnetron co-sputtering system at room temperature. The fabricated films were annealed in a furnace in the $0{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ temperature range. The structural properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (X'pert PRO, Phillips). The results showed increased crystallization temperature ($T_c$) leading to thermal stability in the amorphous state. The optical properties were analyzed using an UV-Vis-IR spectrophotometer (Shimadzu, U-3501, range : 300~3,000 nm). The results showed an increase in the crystalline material optical energy band gap ($E_{op}$) and an increase in the $E_{op}$ difference (${\Delta}E_{op}$). This is a good effect to reduce memory device noise. The electrical properties were analyzed using a 4-point probe (CNT-series). This showed increased sheet resistance ($R_s$), which reduces programming current in the memory device.