Characteristics of TeGa $_{2}$ Sb $_{14}$ Thin Films for Phase-Change Memory

Thin films based on ternary Te-Ga-Sb alloys show much improvement over conventional Ge₂Sb₂TeB for phase-change memory ap plications in our earlier researches. Disclosed in this paper are phase-change characteristics of a Sb-enriched composition TeGa₂Sb₁₄. The crystallization temperature (T_c) determined from electrical resistivity versus temperature curve is 232°C. The activation energy of crystallization (E_c) evaluated by isothermal method is 3.66 eV. Data-retention is 143°C for 10 years attained from the extrapolation of the isothermal Arrhenius plot. The structure of the TeGa₂Sb₁₄ films analyzed using grazing-incident-angle X-ray diffraction shows amorphous at as-deposited state and one crystalline phase well fitted by R3m Sb-structure after crystallization. Phase-change memory bridge-cells based on TeGa₂Sb₁₄ film and TiN electrodes fabricated using focus-ion-beam method reveal typical characteristics of memory-switching behaviors suitable for phase-change memory.