Carbon-doped GeTe Phase-Change Memory featuring remarkable RESET current reduction

• Published in: 2010 Proceedings of the European Solid State Device Research Conference pp. 313 - 316
• Main Authors: Beneventi, G Betti, Perniola, L, Fantini, A, Blachier, D, Toffoli, A, Gourvest, E, Maitrejean, S, Sousa, V, Jahan, C, Nodin, J F, Persico, A, Loubriat, S, Roule, A, Lhostis, S, Feldis, H, Reimbold, G, Billon, T, De Salvo, B, Larcher, L, Pavan, P, Bensahel, D, Mazoyer, P, Annunziata, R, Boulanger, F
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: IEEE 01.09.2010
• Subjects: Carbon; Metals; Phase change materials; Programming; Resistance; Temperature measurement
• ISBN: 142446658X; 9781424466580
• ISSN: 1930-8876
• DOI: 10.1109/ESSDERC.2010.5618230

In this paper we present a study of Phase-Change non-volatile Memory (PCM) devices integrating carbon-doped GeTe as chalcogenide material. Carbon-doped GeTe, named GeTeC, remarkably lowers the RESET current and features very good data retention properties as well. In particular, GeTe PCM with 10% carbon inclusions (named GeTeC10%) yields about 30% of RESET current reduction with respect to pure GeTe and GST. Furthermore, our GeTeC10% memory cells are expected to guarantee a 10-years-lifetime-temperature of about 127°C, which is one of the highest ever reported for PCM. The outstanding properties of GeTeC make this material promising for non-volatile memory technologies.