• 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 Materials Research Society of Korea Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.149-149
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• 1998

• 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.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.7-11
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• 2006

The changes of the electrical conductivity in chalcogenide amorphous semiconductors, $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$, have been studied. A phase change random access memory (PRAM) device without an access transistor is successfully fabricated with the $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$-phase-change resistor, which has much higher electrical resistivity than $Ge_{2}Sb_{2}Te_{5}$ and its electric resistivity can be varied by the factor of $10^5$ times, relating with the degree of crystallization. 100 nm thick $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ thin film was formed by vacuum deposition at $1.5{\times}10^{-5}$ Torr. The static mode switching (DC test) is tested for the $100\;{\mu}m-sized$ $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ PRAM device. In the first sweep, the amorphous $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ thin film showed a high resistance state at low voltage region. However, when it reached to the threshold voltage, $V_{th}$, the electrical resistance of device was drastically reduced through the formation of an electrically conducting path. The pulsed mode switching of the $20{\mu}m-sized$ $Ge_{1}Se_{1}Te_{2}$ PRAM device showed that the reset of device was done with a 80 ns-8.6 V pulse and the set of device was done with a 200 ns-4.3 V pulse.

• 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.

• 전기의세계
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.104-107
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• 1976

The switching characteristics of Non-crystalline As-Te-Si-Ge thin film device using Ag, In and Al metal for electrode, has been investigated. Threshold voltage and holding current of each sandwich type device varied due the to formation of the potential barrier in between non crystalline solid and electrode interface.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1995.07c
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• pp.1016-1018
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• 1995

In this paper, we studied the electrical and the microwave properties of the amorphous $As_{10}Ge_{15}Te_{75}$ thin film. The electrical properties of a-$As_{10}Ge_{15}Te_{75}$ thin film were examined d.c. and a.c. bias with annealing condition. As the result of the electrical properties, we observed the physical characteristics of a-$As_{10}Ge_{15}Te_{75}$ thin film such as the density of defect states, characteristic relaxation time, localized density of states, and localized wave function by using CBH and QMT model. We also examined the microwave conduction properties before and after d.e. switching.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 1995.11a
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• pp.67-70
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• 1995

Amorpous As$\sub$10/Ge$\sub$15/Te$\sub$75/ device shows the memory switching characterisite under d.c. bias. In bulk material, a-As$\sub$10/Ge/sub15/Te$\sub$75/s switching voltage range is above 100 volts. Our purposes in this gaudy are decreasing a switching threshold voltage, finding the properties of d.c., a.c. conduction, and the characterisitics of switching threshold voltage fur a-As$\sub$10/Ge$\sub$15/Te$\sub$75/. As the results, the d.c.and a.c. conductivities increase with temperature. From the data of conductivity, various electrical and physical properties are obtained experimentally. The switching threshold voltages decrease with increasing annealing temperature and time, but increase with increasing film thickness and distance of electrode for d.c. bias.

• 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 Ceramic Society
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• v.42 no.5 s.276
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• pp.326-332
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• 2005

Phase transformation effects on mechanical properties of $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$, which is a promising candidate material for Phase Change Random Access Memory (PRAM), were studied. $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$ thin films, which was thermally annealed with different conditions, were analyzed using XRD, AFM, 4-point probe method and reflectance measurement. As the temperature and the dwelling time increased, crystallity and grain size increased, which enhanced elastic modulus and hardness. Furthermore, N2 doping, which was used for better electrical properties, was proved to decrease elastic modulus and hardness of $Ge_2Sb_2Te_5$.