Although phase-change random-access memory(PCRAM)is a promising next-generation nonvolatile memory technology,challenges remain in terms of reducing energy consumption.This is primarily be-cause the high thermal condu...Although phase-change random-access memory(PCRAM)is a promising next-generation nonvolatile memory technology,challenges remain in terms of reducing energy consumption.This is primarily be-cause the high thermal conductivities of phase-change materials(PCMs)promote Joule heating dissi-pation.Repeated phase transitions also induce long-range atomic diffusion,limiting the durability.To address these challenges,phase-change heterostructure(PCH)devices that incorporate confinement sub-layers based on transition-metal dichalcogenide materials have been developed.In this study,we engi-neered a PCH device by integrating HfTe_(2),which has low thermal conductivity and excellent stability,into the PCM to realize PCRAM with enhanced thermal efficiency and structural stability.HEAT sim-ulations were conducted to validate the superior heat confinement in the programming region of the HfTe_(2)-based PCH device.Moreover,electrical measurements of the device demonstrated its outstanding performance,which was characterized by a low RESET current(∼1.6 mA),stable two-order ON/OFF ratio,and exceptional cycling endurance(∼2×10^(7)).The structural integrity of the HfTe_(2)confinement sub-layer was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The material properties,including electrical conductivity,cohesive energy,and electronegativity,substantiated these findings.Collectively,these results revealed that the HfTe_(2)-based PCH device can achieve significant improvements in performance and reliability compared with conventional PCRAM devices.展开更多
基金financially supported by a National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF)grant funded by the Korean government(No.2016R1A3B1908249,RS202400407199).
文摘Although phase-change random-access memory(PCRAM)is a promising next-generation nonvolatile memory technology,challenges remain in terms of reducing energy consumption.This is primarily be-cause the high thermal conductivities of phase-change materials(PCMs)promote Joule heating dissi-pation.Repeated phase transitions also induce long-range atomic diffusion,limiting the durability.To address these challenges,phase-change heterostructure(PCH)devices that incorporate confinement sub-layers based on transition-metal dichalcogenide materials have been developed.In this study,we engi-neered a PCH device by integrating HfTe_(2),which has low thermal conductivity and excellent stability,into the PCM to realize PCRAM with enhanced thermal efficiency and structural stability.HEAT sim-ulations were conducted to validate the superior heat confinement in the programming region of the HfTe_(2)-based PCH device.Moreover,electrical measurements of the device demonstrated its outstanding performance,which was characterized by a low RESET current(∼1.6 mA),stable two-order ON/OFF ratio,and exceptional cycling endurance(∼2×10^(7)).The structural integrity of the HfTe_(2)confinement sub-layer was confirmed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy.The material properties,including electrical conductivity,cohesive energy,and electronegativity,substantiated these findings.Collectively,these results revealed that the HfTe_(2)-based PCH device can achieve significant improvements in performance and reliability compared with conventional PCRAM devices.