Abstract
Many chalcogenide glasses undergo a breakdown in electronic resistance above a critical field strength. Known as threshold switching, this mechanism enables field-induced crystallization in emerging phase-change memory. Purely electronic as well as crystal nucleation assisted models have been employed to explain the electronic breakdown. Here, picosecond electric pulses are used to excite amorphous . Field-dependent reversible changes in conductivity and pulse-driven crystallization are observed. The present results show that threshold switching can take place within the electric pulse on subpicosecond time scales—faster than crystals can nucleate. This supports purely electronic models of threshold switching and reveals potential applications as an ultrafast electronic switch.
- Received 12 February 2016
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.117.067601
© 2016 American Physical Society
Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)
Synopsis
Ultrafast Switching in a Phase-Change Material
Published 5 August 2016
New experiments show that picosecond pulses of light can effectively switch off the resistance in phase-change materials that are used for storing computer information.
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