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Novel Material For Non-volatile Phase Change Memory Devices

Technology Benefits

· Fasterswitching times· Lower power requirements· Longcycle life· Potential for n-ary devices

Detailed Technology Description

Phase change memory devices have been proposed as the next generation technology for non-volatile memory devices. Currently flash memory devices are the dominant technology. In flash memory, data is stored using an electrical charge. Whereas in phase change memory devices, data is stored as changes in the state of the material’s property. Currently phase change memory devices are based on chalcogenide alloys, using primarily; germanium, antimony and tellurium. A thin film deposition of a chalcogenide alloy is thermally activated resulting in a change to its atomic structure from a disordered state (amorphous) to a structured state (crystalline). The resulting state change leads a change to its electrical resistance to enable the encoding of the data. Our technology proposes using a Zirconium Copper (Zr-Cu) alloy, an amorphous metal material for phase change memory devices.

*Abstract

*Background

Chalcogenide alloys have found widespread adoption inrewritable DVD discs. State changes induced by different laser beam powerlevels result in changes in reflectivity. However the adoption of chalcogenidesfor phase change memory devices has been less successful. The key challenge isthe high temperatures required to induce a state change. This high temperatureis achieved by driving a high current through a heating element.

Country/Region

USA