Modeling Considerations for Phase Change Electronic Memory Devices

Abstract

AbstractThis paper discusses the modeling of phase change, chalcogenide alloy, electrical memory devices. Optical disk modeling, which uses the same alloys has yielded a good understanding of how the material's structural change is related to temperature, time, nucleation of crystallites, and crystal growth. From this base, models of electrical memory behavior have been developed. Modeling the complex electronic nature of the amorphous phase is discussed and suggestions for improving device performance using these models are made.