Berlin 2015 – scientific programme

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DS: Fachverband Dünne Schichten

DS 36: Poster Session I

DS 36.9: Poster

Thursday, March 19, 2015, 09:30–12:00, Poster A

Characterization of laser irradiated Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ films by Cs-corrected STEM — •Andriy Lotnyk, Xinxing Sun, Sabine Bernütz, Martin Ehrhardt, and Bernd Rauschenbach — Leibniz Institute of Surface Modification, Permoserstr. 15, D-04318, Leipzig, Germany

Phase change materials become more and more important for data storage application due to their technologically eminent optical and electronic properties. In particular, Te-based Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ (GST) material is of high interest because of its outstanding switching times and thermal stability. In this study, we have investigated the microstructure of amorphous and metastable GST thin films grown onto SiO2/Si substrates by using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). Amorphous GST thin films were deposited by pulsed laser deposition at a room temperature. Crystallisation of the amorphous GST films was induced by using fs- and ns-laser pulses. The specimens for STEM studies were prepared by a combination of focused Ga ion beam and focused low-energy Ar ion beam techniques. X-ray spectroscopy data showed a homogeneous composition of GST thin films with a slight local variation in Ge, Sb and Te content. However, the grain size and morphology in the crystallized GST films varied with the applied laser pulse duration. The results on local atomic structure supported by image simulations will be also presented and discussed.