Characterization of Silver Saturated-Ge45Te55 Solid Electrolyte Films Incorporated by Nitrogen for Programmable Metallization Cell Memory Device

The crystallization temperature in GeTe solid electrolyte films was improved by in situ-nitrogen doping by rf magnetron co-sputtering technique at room temperature. The crystallization temperature of $250\;^{\circ}C$ in electrolyte films without nitrogen doping increased by approximately $300\;^{\circ}C$, $350\;^{\circ}C$, and above $400\;^{\circ}C$ in films deposited with nitrogen/argon flow ratios of 10, 20, and 30 %, respectively. A PMC memory device with $Ge_{45}Te_{55}$ solid electrolytes deposited with nitrogen/argon flow ratios of 20 % shows reproducible memory switching characteristics based on resistive switching at threshold voltage of 1.2 V with high $R_{off}/R_{on}$ ratios. Nitrogen doping into the silver saturated GeTe electrolyte films improves the crystallization temperature of electrolyte films and does not appear to have a negative impact on the switching characteristics of PMC memory devices.