Interfacial Phase Change Memories (iPCMs) based on (GeTe)2/Sb2Te3 superlattices have been proposed as an alternative candidate to conventional PCMs for the realization of memory devices with superior switching properties. The switching mechanism was proposed to involve a crystalline-to-crystalline structural transition associated with a rearrangement of the stacking sequence of the GeTe bilayers. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that such rearrangement could be achieved by means of a two-step process with an activation barrier for the flipping of Ge and Te atoms which is sensitive to the biaxial strain acting on GeTe bilayers. Within this picture, strain-engineering of GeTe bilayers in the GeTe-chalcogenide superlattice can be exploited to further improve the iPCM switching performance. In this work, we study GeTe-InSbTe superlattices with different compositions by means of DFT, aiming at exploiting the large mismatch (3.8%) in the in-plane lattice parameter between GeTe and In3SbTe2 to reduce the activation barrier for the switching with respect to the (GeTe)2-Sb2Te3 superlattice. This journal is

Ribaldone, C., Dragoni, D., Bernasconi, M. (2020). A first-principles study of the switching mechanism in GeTe/InSbTe superlattices. NANOSCALE ADVANCES, 2(11), 5209-5218 [10.1039/d0na00577k].

A first-principles study of the switching mechanism in GeTe/InSbTe superlattices

Dragoni D.
;
Bernasconi M.
2020

Abstract

Interfacial Phase Change Memories (iPCMs) based on (GeTe)2/Sb2Te3 superlattices have been proposed as an alternative candidate to conventional PCMs for the realization of memory devices with superior switching properties. The switching mechanism was proposed to involve a crystalline-to-crystalline structural transition associated with a rearrangement of the stacking sequence of the GeTe bilayers. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations showed that such rearrangement could be achieved by means of a two-step process with an activation barrier for the flipping of Ge and Te atoms which is sensitive to the biaxial strain acting on GeTe bilayers. Within this picture, strain-engineering of GeTe bilayers in the GeTe-chalcogenide superlattice can be exploited to further improve the iPCM switching performance. In this work, we study GeTe-InSbTe superlattices with different compositions by means of DFT, aiming at exploiting the large mismatch (3.8%) in the in-plane lattice parameter between GeTe and In3SbTe2 to reduce the activation barrier for the switching with respect to the (GeTe)2-Sb2Te3 superlattice. This journal is
Articolo in rivista - Articolo scientifico
Density Functional Theory, Phase change memories, Superlattices
English
2020
2
11
5209
5218
open
Ribaldone, C., Dragoni, D., Bernasconi, M. (2020). A first-principles study of the switching mechanism in GeTe/InSbTe superlattices. NANOSCALE ADVANCES, 2(11), 5209-5218 [10.1039/d0na00577k].
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/10281/297948
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