Structural and electrical analysis of In-Sb-Te-based PCM cells

Two In-Sb-Te compounds with low Te content (12 at.% and 17 at.%), deposited by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition, were implemented into prototype phase-change memory devices of size 50 x 50 nm(2) and 93 x 93 nm(2). These chalcogenides yielded devices with higher threshold voltage than those based on Ge-Sb-Te alloys. The endurance and programming window were markedly improved (from 10(3) to 10(6) cycles and from 1 to 2 orders of magnitude, respectively) when employing the Te-richer alloy. Moreover, in situ structural and electrical analysis on TiN/In-Sb-Te/dielectric stacks provided additional insight on the thermal stability of the two ternary phases In3SbTe2 and InSb0.8Te0.2, which were found to coexist in these compounds. ((c) 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)