Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Novel applications of ZnTe as an ovonic threshold switching and as a phase change material

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
MRS Advances Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Observation of ovonic threshold switching (OTS) behavior in ZnTe attracted attention to this material as a replacement to GeAsSeTe alloy currently used for the OTS selector devices in the non-volatile memory. However, only ZnTe films deposited by RF magnetron sputtering were studied. Here, we extended the study of this material to ZnTe films grown using Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). As a conformal growth technique, ALD is much more suitable for memory devices. We determined that, in addition to threshold switching, ALD-deposited ZnTe films can undergo high-speed non-volatile phase change. Such dual behavior of ZnTe expands potential applications of this material. It opens the opportunity to use ZnTe both for OTS selector elements and phase change memory elements greatly simplifying fabrication of memory devices.

Graphical abstract

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The datasets generated during and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

References

  1. D. Kau, S. Tang, I.V. Karpov, R. Dodge, D. Klehn, J.A. Kalb, J. Strand, A. Diaz, N. Leung, J. Wu, S. Lee, in 2009 IEEE International Electron Devices Meeting (IEDM). https://doi.org/10.1109/IEDM.2009.5424263

  2. M. Terao, T. Morikawa, T. Ohta, Jpn. J. Appl. Phys. 48(8R), 080001 (2009)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. M. Laudato, V. Adinolfi, R. Clarke, M. McBriarty, S. Jewhurst, K. Littau, in 2020 IEEE International Memory Workshop (IMW). https://doi.org/10.1109/IMW48823.2020.9108152

  4. T. Kim, Y. Kim, I. Lee, D. Lee, H. Sohn, Nanotechnology 30(13), 13LT01 (2019)

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Y. Koo, H. Hwang, Sci. Rep. 8(1), 1–7 (2018)

    Google Scholar 

  6. S. Song, D. Yao, Z. Song, L. Gao, Z. Zhang, L. Li, L. Shen, L. Wu, B. Liu, Y. Cheng, S. Feng, Nanoscale Res. Lett. 10(1), 1–5 (2015)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

This material is based upon work supported by the DOE SBIR Program Office under Contract No. DE-SC0020938.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc., Watertown, MA, 02472, USA

    O. Maksimov, K. Hansen & H. B. Bhandari

  2. Ovshinsky Innovation, Hancock, MI, 49930, USA

    G. Wicker

  3. University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, 06269, USA

    H. Mousa, S. Ilhom & H. Silva

Authors
  1. O. Maksimov
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. K. Hansen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. H. B. Bhandari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. G. Wicker
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H. Mousa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. Ilhom
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. H. Silva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to O. Maksimov.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors have no relevant financial or non-financial interests to disclose.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (DOCX 527 kb)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Maksimov, O., Hansen, K., Bhandari, H.B. et al. Novel applications of ZnTe as an ovonic threshold switching and as a phase change material. MRS Advances 8, 173–176 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00508-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1557/s43580-023-00508-2

Search

Navigation