I. Friedrich et al., Structural transformations of Ge2Sb2Te5 films studied by electrical resistance measurements, J APPL PHYS, 87(9), 2000, pp. 4130-4134
Temperature dependent measurements of the electrical resistance have been e
mployed to study structural changes in sputtered Ge2Sb2Te5 films. The prono
unced changes of film resistance due to structural changes enable a precise
determination of transition temperatures and activation energies. Furtherm
ore the technique is sensitive enough to measure the influence of ultrathin
capping layers on the transformation kinetics. With increasing temperature
the Ge2Sb2Te5 films undergo a structural change from an amorphous to rock
salt structure (Fm3m) around 140 degrees C and finally a hexagonal structur
e (p (3) over bar m) around 310 degrees C. Both structural changes are acco
mpanied by a major drop of resistance. Applying the Kissinger method [Anal.
Chem. 29, 1702 (1957)] the activation energy for crystallization to the ro
ck salt structure is determined to be 2.24 +/- 0.11 eV, and for the phase t
ransformation to the hexagonal phase to be 3.64 +/- 0.19 eV, respectively.
A thin capping layer of ZnS-SiO2 leads to an increase of the first transiti
on temperature as well as of the corresponding activation energy (2.7 +/- 0
.2 eV). (C) 2000 American Institute of Physics. [S0021-8979(00)06209-5].