• Applied Science and Convergence Technology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2014

The programmable switches which control the delivery of electrical signals in programmable logic devices are fabricated using memory technology. Although phase change memory (PCM) technology is one of the most promising candidates for the manufacturing of the programmable switches, the threshold switching material should be added to a PCM cell for realization of the programmable switches based on PCM technology. In this work, we report the impurity-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ (GST) chalcogenide alloy exhibiting threshold switching property. Unlike the GST thin film, the doped GST thin film prepared by the incorporation of In and P into GST is not crystallized even at the postannealing temperature higher than $200^{\circ}C$. This specific crystallization behavior in the doped GST thin film is attributed to the stabilization of the amorphous phase of GST by In and P doping.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.11a
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• pp.57-57
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• 2009

Programmable Metallization Cell (PMC) is a memory device based on the electrolytical characteristic of chalcogenide materials. We investigated the nature of thin films formed by photo doping of Cu ions into chalcogenide materials for use in solid electrolyte of PMC. We were able to do more economical approach by using copper which play an electrolyte ions role. The results imply that a Cu-rich phase separates owing to the reaction of Cu with free atoms from chalcogenide materials.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.13-17
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• 2009

In PRAM applications, the devices can be made for both binary and multi-state storage. The ability to attain intermediate stages comes either from the fact that some chalcogenide materials can exist in configurations that range from completely amorphous to completely crystalline or from designing device structure such a way that mimics multiple phase chase phenomena in single cell. We have designed stack-structured phase change memory cell which operates as multi-state storage. Amorphous $Ge_xTe_{100-x}$ chalcogenide materials were stacked and a diffusion barrier was chosen for each stack layers. The device is operated by crystallizing each chalcogenide material as sequential manner from the bottom layer to the top layer. The amplitude of current pulse and the duration of pulse width was fixed and number of pulses were controlled to change overall resistance of the phase change memory cell. To optimize operational performance the thickness of each chalcogenide was controlled based on simulation results.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.918-922
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• 2006

Chalcogenide Phase change memory has the high performance necessary for next-generation memory, because it is a nonvolatile memory with high programming speed, low programming voltage, high sensing margin, low power consumption and long cycle duration. To minimize the power consumption and the program voltage, the new composition material which shows the better phase-change properties than conventional $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ device has to be needed by accurate material engineering. In the present work, we investigate the basic thermal and the electrical properties due to phase-change compared with chalcogenide-based new composition $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ material thin film and convetional $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ PRAM thin film. The fabricated new composition $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ thin film exhibited a successful switching between an amorphous and a crystalline phase by applying a 950 ns -6.2 V set pulse and a 90 ns -8.2 V reset pulse. It is expected that the new composition $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ material thin film device will be possible to applicable to overcome the Set/Reset problem for the nonvolatile memory device element of PRAM instead of conventional $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ device.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2006.07c
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• pp.1426-1427
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• 2006

Chalcogenide based phase-change memory has a high capability and potential for the next generation nonvolatile memory device. Fast writing speed, low writing voltage, high sensing margin, low power consume and long cycle of read/write repeatability are also good advantages of nonvolatile phase-change memory. We have been investigated the new material for the phase-change memory. Its composition is consists of chalcogenide $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_2$ material. We made this new material to solve problems of conventional phase-change memory which has disadvantage of high power consume and high writing voltage. In the present work, we are manufactured $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}/Ge_{2}Sb_{2}Te_{5}/Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ and $Ge_{2}Sb_{2}Te_{5}/Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}/Ge_{2}Sb_{2}Te_{5}$ sandwich triple layer structure devices are manufactured to investigate its electrical properties. Through the present work, we are willing to ensure a potential of substitutional method to overcome a crystallization problem on PRAM device.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.06a
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• pp.154-155
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• 2007

PRAM(Phase-Change RAM) is a promising memory that can solve the problem of conventional memory and has the nearly ideal memory characteristics. We reviewed the issues for high density PRAM integration. Writing current reduction is the most urgent problem for high density PRAM realization. So, we studied new constitution of $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ chalcogenide material and presented the method of reducing the contact size between $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ and electrode. A small-contact-area electrode is used primarily to supply current into and minimize heat loss from the chalcogenide. In this letter, we expect the method of reducing the contact size between $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ and electrode to decrease writing current.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.210-213
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• 2004

The phase transition between amorphous and crystalline states in chalcogenide semiconductor films can controlled by electric pulses or pulsed laser beam; hence some chalcogenide semiconductor films can be applied to electrically write/erase nonvolatile memory devices, where the low conductive amorphous state and the high conductive crystalline state are assigned to binary states. Memory switching in chalcogenides is mostly a thermal process, which involves phase transformation from amorphous to crystalline state. The nonvolatile memory cells are composed of a simple sandwich (metal/chalcogenide/metal). It was formed that the threshold voltage depends on thickness, electrode distance, annealing time and temperature, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.80-81
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• 2005

Chalcogenide phase change memory has high performance to be next generation memory, because it is a nonvolatile memory processing high programming speed, low programming voltage, high sensing margin, low consumption and long cycle duration. We have developed a sample of PRAM with thermal protected layer. We have investigated the phase transition behaviors in function of process factor including thermal protect layer. As a result, we have observed that set voltage and duration of protect layer are more improved than no protect layer.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.9 no.6
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• pp.223-226
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• 2008

$Ge_1Se_1Te_2$ chalcogenide amorphous materials was prepared by the conventional melt-quenching method. Samples were processed bye-beam evaporator systems and RF-sputtering systems. Phase change characteristics were analyzed by measuring glassification temperature, crystallization temperature and density of bulk material. The thermal characteristics were measured at the temperature between 300 K and 700 K, and the electrical characteristics were studied within the range from 0 V to 3 V. The obtained results agree with the electrothermal model for Phase-Change Random Access Memory.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.08a
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• pp.342-342
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• 2012

Resistance-change Random Access Memory (ReRAM), which utilizes electrochemical control of nanoscale quantities of metal in thin films of solid electrolyte, shows great promise as a future solid state memory. The technology utilizes the electrochemical formation and removal of metallic pathways in thin films of solid electrolyte. Key attributes are low voltage and current operation, excellent scalability, and a simple fabrication sequence. In this study, we investigated the nature of thin films formed by photo doping of Ag+ ions into chalcogenide materials for use in solid electrolyte of programmable metallization cell devices. We measured the I-V characteristics by field-effect of the device. The results imply that a Ag-rich phase separates owing to the reaction of Ag with free atoms from chalcogenide materials.