• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.134-134
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• 2009

In this work, we report that crystallization speed as well as the electrical and optical properties about the N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin films. The 200-nm-thick N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin film was deposited on p-type (100) Si and glass substrate by RF reactive sputtering at room temperature. The amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation of N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin films investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Changes in the optical transmittance of as-deposited and annealed films were measured using a UV-VIS-IR spectrophotometer and four-point probe was used to measure the sheet resistance of N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin films annealed at different temperature. In addition, the surface morphology and roughness of the films were observed by Atomic Force Microscope (AFM). The crystalline speed of amorphous N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ films were measured by using nano-pulse scanner with 658 nm laser diode (power : 1~17 mW, pulse duration: 10~460 ns). It was found that the crystalline speed of thin films are decreased by adding N and the crystalline temperature is higher. This means that N-dopant in $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin film plays a role to suppress amorphous-to-crystalline phase transformation.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.86-90
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• 2017

This work reports the phase-change behavior and thermal stability of doped GeSbTe/GeSbTe bilayers. We prepared the bilayers using RF sputtering, and annealed them at annealing temperature ranging from $100^{\circ}C$ to $400^{\circ}C$. The sheet resistance of the bilayer decreased and saturated with increasing annealing temperature, and the saturated value was close to that of pure GeSbTe film. The surface of the bilayer roughened at $400^{\circ}C$, which corresponds to the surface roughening of doped GeSbTe film. Mixed phases of face-centered cubic and hexagonal close-packed crystalline structures were identified in the bilayers annealed at elevated temperature. These results indicate that the phase-change behavior of the bilayer depends on the concurrent phase-transitions of the two GeSbTe-based films. The dopants in the doped GeSbTe film were diffused out at annealing temperatures of $300^{\circ}C$ or higher, which implies that the thermal stability of the bilayer should be considered for its application in phase-change electronic devices.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2010.06a
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• pp.347-347
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• 2010

In other to progress better crystallization transition and long phase-transformation data of phase-change memory (PRAM), we investigated about the effect of Sb doping and Ag ions percolating into Ge-Se-Te phase-change material. Doped Sb concentrations was determined each of 10 wt%, 20 wt% and 30 wt%. As the Sb-doping concentration was increased, the resistivity decreased and the crystallization temperature increased. Ionization of Ag was progressed by DPSS laser (532 nm) for 1 hour. The resistivity was more decreased and the crystallization temperature was more increased in case of adding Ag layer under Sb-(Ge-Se-Te) thin film. At the every condition of thin films included Ag layer more stable states were indicated compare with just Sb-doped Ge-Se-Te thin films.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2022

In this paper, we investigated current (I)- and voltage (V)-sweeping properties in a double-stack structure, Ge₂Sb₂Te₅/Ti/W-doped Ge₈Sb₂Te₁₁, a candidate medium for applications to multilevel phase-change memory. 200-nm-thick and W-doped Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ and W-doped Ge₈Sb₂Te₁₁ films were deposited on p-type Si(100) substrate using magnetron sputtering system, and the sheet resistance was measured using 4 point-probe method. The sheet resistance of amorphous-phase W-doped Ge₈Sb₂Te₁₁ film was about 1 order larger than that of Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film. The I- and V-sweeping properties were measured using sourcemeter, pulse generator, and digital multimeter. The speed of amorphous-to-multilevel crystallization was evaluated from a graph of resistance vs. pulse duration (t) at a fixed applied voltage (12 V). All the double-stack cells exhibited a two-step phase change process with the multilevel memory states of high-middle-low resistance (HR-MR-LR). In particular, the stable MR state is required to guarantee the reliability of the multilevel phase-change memory. For the Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (150 nm)/Ti (20 nm)/W-Ge₈Sb₂Te₁₁ (50 nm), the phase transformations of HR→MR and MR→LR were observed at t<30ns and t<65ns, respectively. We believe that a high speed and stable multilevel phase-change memory can be optimized by the double-stack structure of proper Ge-Sb-Te films separated by a barrier metal (Ti).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.02a
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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).

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2014.02a
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• pp.297.1-297.1
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• 2014

칼코겐화합물은 주기율표 6족에서 산소를 제외한 칼코겐 원소가 하나 이상 포함되는 화합물 반도체 소재로 상변화 및 광전변환 특성을 가지고 있다. 이와 같은 칼코겐화합물의 장점을 이용하여 집적회로의 로직 블록 간의 신호 전달을 제어하는 프로그래머블 스위치를 구현 할 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 프로그래머블 스위치에 적용 가능한 칼코겐화합물로 널리 알려진 GeSbTe 및 GeTe 박막의 도핑에 따른 전기적, 구조적 특성 변화를 보고한다. RF magnetron sputtering 방식을 이용하여 doped GST 및 doped GeTe 박막을 증착하고 도핑에 따른 전기적, 구조적 특성을 관찰하였다. GST 박막의 경우 도핑에 의해 면저항 값이 증가하고 결정화 온도가 상승하는 것을 확인하였다. 반면 GeTe 박막에서는 도핑에 의해 면저항 값이 감소하고 결정화 온도가 낮아지는 것을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과로부터 GeSbTe 및 GeTe 박막의 전기적 특성은 도핑에 따라 변화하며, 도핑 조건을 적절히 조절함으로써 프로그래머블 스위치에 적용 가능한 칼코겐화합물의 확보가 가능하다는 결론을 내릴 수 있다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.37 no.1
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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.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2009.07a
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• pp.1260_1261
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• 2009

A detailed investigation and structure of tested samples are clearly presented. As a reference, $Ge_1Se_1Te_2$/Sb only sample was also investigated. We used compound of Ge-Se-Te material for phase-change cell. Actually, the performance properties have been improved surprisingly then conventional Ge-Sb-Te. However, crystallization time was as long as ever for amorphization time. We conducted this esperiment in order to solve that problem by doping-Sb.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.115-115
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• 2007

PRAM (Phase Change Random Access Memory)은 상변화 물질의 비저항 차이를 이용한 메모리 소자로 차세대 비휘발성 메모리로 주목받고 있다. 현재 상변화 물질로 사용되고 있는 $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ 박막은 결정질 상태에서 저항이 낮아 RESET 동작에서 많은 전력이 소비되고 메모리의 고집적의 어려움이 있다. 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해 상변화 물질의 개선과 소자 구조의 개선 등의 새로운 접근이 시도되고 있다. 본 연구에서는 $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ 박막의 전기적 특성을 개선하기 위해서 이종 원소인 질소를 첨가한 N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ 박막에 대한 특성을 살펴 보았다. $SiO_2$/Si 기판 위에 100 nm 두께의 박막을 D.C. magnetron sputter 방법으로 증착하여, 질소 분위기 $100^{\circ}C{\sim}300^{\circ}C$온도 구간에서 열처리하였다. 열처리에 따른 박막 특성을 관찰하기 위해 면저항 측정, XRD, TEM 분석을 통해 박막 특성을 관찰하였다. 면저항 측정과 XRD peak 분석을 통해 $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ 시스템에 비하여 N-doped $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ 시스템의 결정화 온도가 상승하였음을 확인하였다. 면저항은 첨가된 질소의 조성이 증가할수록 증가하였고, FCC 상에서 HCP 상으로의 상변화 온도 역시 증가하였다. 첨가된 질소가 $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$, 박막의 결정 성장을 억제하였고, 상대적으로 높은 저항을 가지고 안정한 FCC상을 고온 열처리 이후에도 유지하였다. 질소 첨가를 이용한 상변화 물질의 열안정성 향상과 저소비전력 구동을 통해 향후 고집적 상변화 메모리에의 적용이 가능하다.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.3
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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.