Ge-rich and N-doped Ge-Sb-Te thin films and patterned structures for memory applications are investigated in situ during annealing up to 500 °C with a heating rate of 2 °C/min using synchrotron x-ray diffraction. The initial material is amorphous. Under these annealing conditions, Ge crystallization occurs at 340 °C and precedes the one of cubic Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ by about 15 °C. In situ monitoring of diffraction allows for a quantification of crystallized quantity, grain size and elastic strain during the material transformation. Increasing N doping reduces the amount of crystallized Ge and Ge grain size. These results bring important insights into the multiphase crystallization of Ge-rich GST phase change materials for memory applications.

使用同步加速器X射线衍射技术，以2°C / min的升温速率在高达500°C的退火温度下原位研究了用于存储应用的富Ge和N掺杂的Ge-Sb-Te薄膜和图案化结构。初始材料是无定形的。在这些退火条件下，Ge结晶在340°C发生，并且比立方Ge ₂ Sb ₂ Te _5中的一种先约15°C。原位衍射监测可以量化材料转变过程中的结晶量，晶粒尺寸和弹性应变。N掺杂的增加减少了结晶Ge的数量和Ge晶粒尺寸。这些结果为用于存储器应用的富含Ge的GST相变材料的多相结晶提供了重要的见识。