Reversible structural transformations in amorphous semiconductors for memory and logic

Abstract

High speed reversible memory effects in amorphous semiconductors are associated with a reversible structural change between a disordered and a more ordered state. These changes can be initiated and reversed either by electrical voltages or with short laser pulses. The different optical and electrical properties of the disordered and more ordered states can be used for binary storage and read-out purposes. A model is discussed which attributes the high speed of crystallization and the reversibility to the influence of an excess electron-hole density.