Sb-Se-based phase-change memory device with lower power and higher speed operations

A phase-change material of Sb65Se35 was newly proposed for the nonvolatile memory applications. The fabricated phase-change memory device using Sb65Se35 showed a good electrical threshold switching characteristic in the dc current-voltage (I-V) measurement. The programming time for set operation of the memory device decreased from 1 mu s to 250 ns when Sb65Se35 was introduced in place of the conventionally employed Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST). The reset current of Sb65Se35 device also dramatically reduced from 15 mA to 1.6 mA, compared with that of GST device. These results are attributed to the low melting temperature and high crystallization speed of Sb65Se35 and will contribute to lower power and higher speed operations of a phase-change nonvolatile memory.