Title :
A Physics-Based Crystallization Model for Retention in Phase-Change Memories
Author :
Russo, U. ; Ielmini, D. ; Lacaita, A.L.
Author_Institution :
Dipt. di Elettronica ed Informazione, Politecnico di Milano
Abstract :
A new model for data retention in phase-change memory cells is proposed. The model describes the formation of crystalline grains in the amorphous phase according to the standard nucleation theory. A conduction percolation concept is then applied to calculate the crystallization time for the cell. The model is used to account for the experimentally extracted nucleation/growth parameter and to provide a physics-based extrapolation method to predict retention lifetime at relatively low temperature. The sensitivity of the extrapolated results on different approximations for the Gibbs free energy of amorphous-to-crystalline transition and to material-related crystallization parameters is finally analyzed.
Keywords :
crystallisation; extrapolation; free energy; nucleation; phase change materials; random-access storage; Gibbs free energy; amorphous-crystalline transition; conduction percolation concept; crystalline grains; data retention; nucleation theory; phase-change memory cells; physics-based crystallization model; physics-based extrapolation method; Amorphous materials; Crystallization; Data mining; Electrical resistance measurement; Extrapolation; Grain size; Phase change materials; Phase change memory; Temperature distribution; Temperature sensors; Phase Change Memory; chalcogenide; data retention;
Conference_Titel :
Reliability physics symposium, 2007. proceedings. 45th annual. ieee international
Conference_Location :
Phoenix, AZ
Print_ISBN :
1-4244-0919-5
Electronic_ISBN :
1-4244-0919-5
DOI :
10.1109/RELPHY.2007.369949