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Structure analysis of amorphous thin films of GeSbTe compounds by grazing incidence X-ray scattering

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Masugu Sato ,
Toshiyuki Matsunaga ,
Takashi Kouzaki  and
Noboru Yamada
Masugu Sato
Affiliation:
Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute, Mikazuki, Hyogo, JP.
Toshiyuki Matsunaga
Affiliation:
Characterization Technology Group, Matsushita Technoresearch, Inc., Moriguchi, Osaka, JP.
Takashi Kouzaki
Affiliation:
Characterization Technology Group, Matsushita Technoresearch, Inc., Moriguchi, Osaka, JP.
Noboru Yamada
Affiliation:
Storage Media Systems Development Center, Matsushita Electric Ind. Co., Ltd., Moriguchi, Osaka, JP.
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Abstract

We have investigated the structures of amorphous thin films of GeSbTe compounds – the materials used for the recording layer of phase-change optical memory – through grazing incidence X-ray scattering (GIXS) measurements. Thin films with compositions of GeSb2Te4 and Ge2Sb2Te5 were deposited on Si substrates. Electron radial distribution functions (RDFs) derived from the data clearly showed evidence of the medium-range order with three peaks of the atomic pair distribution. The RDFs of both samples were very similar to those of amorphous bulk GeTe compounds reported from previous X-ray scattering experiments. The positions of the first peaks of these RDFs were consistent with the distances of the first nearest neighbor pairs reported from previous EXAFS experiments. A comparison of the RDF of the amorphous phase with that of the crystalline phase suggested that the phase change caused no significant change in the number of atoms included inside or the radius of the second nearest neighbor atomic shell, although it changed the coordination number and the distance of the first nearest neighbor atomic pairs. This may shorten the moving distance of atoms in the phase change and enable high-speed phase change.

Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 803: Symposia GG/HH – Advanced Characterization Techniques for Data Storage Materials – Phase Change and Nonmagnetic Materials for Data Storage , 2003 , HH5.8
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

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References

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