Research HighlightsBreaking the energy barrier: Advancements in phase-change memory technology
11/25/2024
Nitrogen-doped Cr2Ge2Te6 reduces energy consumption in next-generation memory devices
Dr. Shuang, the corresponding author of this research paper
In the race to develop more efficient non-volatile memory devices, phase-change materials (PCMs) stand out for their potential to offer faster speeds, higher durability, and better scalability compared to other emerging technologies.
However, due to their high cost and energy consumption, PCMs are still primarily found in high-performance computing, niche markets, and experimental technologies where their unique properties are leveraged for faster, more efficient data storage.
“The problem with using PCMs in memory devices lies in the ‘reset’ process,” explains Yi Shuang, a member of an AIMR research team. “This process consumes a lot of energy due to the heat required to melt-quench the crystalline PCM to an amorphous phase.”
In a 2024 article, Shuang, Sutou et al. addressed this issue by investigating nitrogen-doped Cr2Ge2Te6 (NCrGT) as an alternative PCM, by demonstrating how NCrGT can dramatically reduce the energy needed for the amorphization (reset) process in memory devices1.
Using a combination of advanced contact-resistivity measurements, microscopic, and spectroscopic techniques, the team found that only a small phase-change volume (amorphization/crystallization) near the electrode interface was observed, attributed to the contact resistance-dominated conduction process in memory cells.
“Instead of relying solely on the bulk material properties of the PCM,” says Shuang, “our approach to developing a contact phase-change material enables a smaller phase-change volume—achieving a 90% reduction in reset energy compared to conventional bulk resistance-dominated PCMs.”
The team is currently working on exploring more energy-efficient PCMs, including those capable of crystalline-to-crystalline phase transitions without melting, such as a nitride PCM2.
(Author: Patrick Han)
References
- Shuang Y., Ando D., Song Y. and Sutou Y. Direct observation of phase-change volume in contact resistance change memory using N-doped Cr2Ge2Te6 phase-change material Applied Physics Letters 124, 061907 (2024). | article
- Shuang Y., Mori S., Yamamoto T., Hatayama S., Saito Y., Fons P.J., Song Y.-H., Hong J.-P., Ando D. and Sutou Y. Soret-Effect Induced Phase-Change in a Chromium Nitride Semiconductor Film ACS Nano 18, 21135–21143 (2024). | article
This research highlight has been approved by the authors of the original article and all information and data contained within has been provided by said authors.
