Fabrication of Multilevel Switching High Density Phase Change Data Recording Using Stacked GeTe/GeSbTe Structure

Abstract

The multilevel switching characteristics of stacked phase change materials with the structures of Ge2Sb2Te5, AgInSbTe/Ge2Sb2Te5, and GeTe/Ge2Sb2Te5 were investigated at the nano scale using nanoimprint lithography and conductive atomic force microscopy. Stacked phase change materials devices consisting of nano pillars 200nm in diameter were fabricated using nanoimprint lithography, and their electrical characteristics were evaluated using conductive atomic force microscopy, with a pulse generator and a voltage source. The stacked GeTe/Ge2Sb2Te5 phase change materials exhibited three levels of resistance with a difference of 2 orders in magnitude between them, while the single-layer and stacked phase change materials with similar electrical resistances, such as Ge2Sb2Te5/AgInSbTe exhibited only bi level switching characteristics. (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics