Determination of the atomic stacking sequence of Ge-Sb-Te nanowires by HAADF STEM

The reduction of the active cell size to the nanoscale is crucial for the improvement of the phase change memory devices (PCM) based on Ge-Sb-Te (GST) alloys. The self-assembly of Au catalyzed Ge1Sb2Te4 (GST-124) nanowires (NWs) has been achieved by metal organic chemical vapor deposition. The atomic arrangement of the NWs has been investigated and the stacking sequence has been identified, by combining the direct observation by High Angle Annular Dark Field (HAADF) imaging and simulations. It has been assessed that Ge and Sb atoms can randomly occupy the same sites in the crystal lattice, despite the adverse predictions of the theoretical models elaborated for the bulk material.