DOI: 10.1557/mrs2004.236. Overview of Phase-Change Chalcogenide Nonvolatile Memory Technology

Overview of Phase-Change Chalcogenide Nonvolatile Memory Technology

10.1557/mrs2004.236

Crossref journal-article

Springer Science and Business Media LLC

MRS Bulletin (297)

Abstract

AbstractPhase-change nonvolatile semiconductor memory technology is based on an electrically initiated, reversible rapid amorphous-to-crystalline phase-change process in multicomponent chalcogenide alloy materials similar to those used in rewriteable optical disks. Long cycle life, low programming energy, and excellent scaling characteristics are advantages that make phase-change semiconductor memory a promising candidate to replace flash memory in future applications. Phase-change technology is being commercialized by a number of semiconductor manufacturers. Fundamental processes in phase-change semiconductor memory devices, device performance characteristics, and progress toward commercialization of the technology are reviewed.

Bibliography

Hudgens, S., & Johnson, B. (2004). Overview of Phase-Change Chalcogenide Nonvolatile Memory Technology. MRS Bulletin, 29(11), 829â832.

Authors 2

S. Hudgens (first)
B. Johnson (additional)

References 32 Referenced 215

{'volume-title': 'Electronic Processes in Non-Crystalline Materials', 'year': '1971', 'author': 'Mott', 'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref019'} / Electronic Processes in Non-Crystalline Materials by Mott (1971)
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref011', 'first-page': '557', 'volume': '11', 'author': 'Gonzalez-Hernandez', 'year': '1992', 'journal-title': 'Appl. Phys. Comm.'} / Appl. Phys. Comm. by Gonzalez-Hernandez (1992)
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref031', 'first-page': '101', 'volume-title': 'Advanced Data Storage Materials and Characterization Techniques', 'author': 'Lowrey', 'year': '2004'} / Advanced Data Storage Materials and Characterization Techniques by Lowrey (2004)
10.1063/1.1654983
10.1103/PhysRevLett.37.1504
10.1063/1.1653653
27 Gill M. Lowrey T. and Park J. in ISSCC 2002 Tech. Dig. (2002) paper No. 12.4.
26 Maimon J. Hunt K. Rogers J. Burcin L. and Knowles K. Proc. NVTMS Conf. (2002).
10.1103/PhysRevLett.22.1065
10.1038/scientificamerican0577-36
10.1016/0022-3093(72)90176-7
{'volume-title': '2003 IEDM Tech. Dig.', 'year': '2003', 'author': 'Pirovano', 'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref032'} / 2003 IEDM Tech. Dig. by Pirovano (2003)
29 Lee S.H. Hwang Y.N. Lee S.Y. Ryoo K.C. Ahn S.J. Koo H.C. Jeong C.W. Kim Y.T. Koh G.H. Jeong G.T. Jeong H.S. and Kim K. in 2004 Symp. on VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Papers (2004) p. 20. (10.1109/VLSIT.2004.1345369)
10.1063/1.359779
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref014', 'first-page': '33', 'volume-title': 'IEEE Proc. CAS 1', 'author': 'Ovshinsky', 'year': '1998'} / IEEE Proc. CAS 1 by Ovshinsky (1998)
13 Wicker G. “A Comprehensive Model of Submicron Chalcogenide Switching Devices,” PhD dissertation, Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich. (1996).
10.1103/PhysRevLett.21.1450
10.1146/annurev.ms.02.080172.003405
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref005', 'first-page': '173', 'volume-title': 'Proc. SPIE 420', 'author': 'Takenaga', 'year': '1983'} / Proc. SPIE 420 by Takenaga (1983)
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref030', 'first-page': '83', 'volume-title': 'Advanced Data Storage Materials and Characterization Techniques', 'author': 'Privitera', 'year': '2004'} / Advanced Data Storage Materials and Characterization Techniques by Privitera (2004)
6 Neale R.G. Nelson D.L. and Moore G.E. Electronics (September 1970) p. 56.
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref008', 'first-page': '105', 'volume-title': 'Proc. SPIE 695', 'author': 'Terao', 'year': '1986'} / Proc. SPIE 695 by Terao (1986)
10.1063/1.97617
28 Pellizzer F. Pirovano A. Ottogalli F. Magistretti M. Scaravaggi M. Zuliani P. Tosi M. Benvenuti A. Besana P. Cadeo S. Marangon T. Morandi R. Piva R. Spandre A. Zonca R. Modelli A. Varesi E. Lowrey T. Lacaita A. Casagrande G. Cappelleti P. and Bez R. in 2004 Symp. on VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Papers (2004) p. 18. (10.1109/VLSIT.2004.1345368)
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref009', 'first-page': '188', 'volume-title': 'Proc. SPIE 899', 'author': 'Akahira', 'year': '1988'} / Proc. SPIE 899 by Akahira (1988)
{'volume-title': 'Proc. Int. Symp. Optical Memory', 'year': '1989', 'author': 'Ohta', 'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref010'} / Proc. Int. Symp. Optical Memory by Ohta (1989)
12 Ovshinsky S.R. Hudgens S.J. Czubatyj W. Strand D.A. and Wicker G.C. “Electrically erasable phase change memory,” U.S. Patent No. 5,166,758 (November 24, 1992).
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref022', 'first-page': '452', 'volume-title': 'IEEE Trans. Electron. Dev.', 'volume': '51', 'author': 'Pirovano', 'year': '2004'} / IEEE Trans. Electron. Dev. by Pirovano (2004)
10.1117/12.364449
16 Okuda M. Naito H. and Matsushita T. in Proc. Int. Symp. Optical Memory (1991) p. 73.
{'key': 'S0883769400016778_ref018', 'first-page': '36', 'volume-title': '2001 IEDM Tech. Dig. Int.', 'author': 'Lai', 'year': '2001'} / 2001 IEDM Tech. Dig. Int. by Lai (2001)
10.1063/1.328036

Dates

Type	When
Created	14 years, 7 months ago (Feb. 2, 2011, 7:52 a.m.)
Deposited	6 months ago (March 2, 2025, 4:42 a.m.)
Indexed	1 month, 2 weeks ago (July 19, 2025, 11:24 p.m.)
Issued	20 years, 10 months ago (Nov. 1, 2004)
Published	20 years, 10 months ago (Nov. 1, 2004)
Published Online	14 years, 7 months ago (Jan. 31, 2011)
Published Print	20 years, 10 months ago (Nov. 1, 2004)

Funders 0

None

BibTeX

@article{Hudgens_2004, title={Overview of Phase-Change Chalcogenide Nonvolatile Memory Technology}, volume={29}, ISSN={1938-1425}, url={http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/mrs2004.236}, DOI={10.1557/mrs2004.236}, number={11}, journal={MRS Bulletin}, publisher={Springer Science and Business Media LLC}, author={Hudgens, S. and Johnson, B.}, year={2004}, month=nov, pages={829–832} }

JSON

{
  "indexed": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        7,
        20
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-07-20T03:24:55Z",
    "timestamp": 1752981895506,
    "version": "3.38.0"
  },
  "reference-count": 32,
  "publisher": "Springer Science and Business Media LLC",
  "issue": "11",
  "license": [
    {
      "start": {
        "date-parts": [
          [
            2011,
            1,
            31
          ]
        ],
        "date-time": "2011-01-31T00:00:00Z",
        "timestamp": 1296432000000
      },
      "content-version": "unspecified",
      "delay-in-days": 2282,
      "URL": "https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms"
    }
  ],
  "content-domain": {
    "domain": [],
    "crossmark-restriction": false
  },
  "published-print": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2004,
        11
      ]
    ]
  },
  "abstract": "<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title><jats:p>Phase-change nonvolatile semiconductor memory technology is based on an electrically initiated, reversible rapid amorphous-to-crystalline phase-change process in multicomponent chalcogenide alloy materials similar to those used in rewriteable optical disks. Long cycle life, low programming energy, and excellent scaling characteristics are advantages that make phase-change semiconductor memory a promising candidate to replace flash memory in future applications. Phase-change technology is being commercialized by a number of semiconductor manufacturers. Fundamental processes in phase-change semiconductor memory devices, device performance characteristics, and progress toward commercialization of the technology are reviewed.</jats:p>",
  "DOI": "10.1557/mrs2004.236",
  "type": "journal-article",
  "created": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2011,
        2,
        2
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2011-02-02T12:52:08Z",
    "timestamp": 1296651128000
  },
  "page": "829-832",
  "source": "Crossref",
  "is-referenced-by-count": 215,
  "title": "Overview of Phase-Change Chalcogenide Nonvolatile Memory Technology",
  "prefix": "10.1557",
  "volume": "29",
  "author": [
    {
      "given": "S.",
      "family": "Hudgens",
      "sequence": "first",
      "affiliation": []
    },
    {
      "given": "B.",
      "family": "Johnson",
      "sequence": "additional",
      "affiliation": []
    }
  ],
  "member": "297",
  "published-online": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2011,
        1,
        31
      ]
    ]
  },
  "reference": [
    {
      "volume-title": "Electronic Processes in Non-Crystalline Materials",
      "year": "1971",
      "author": "Mott",
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref019"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref011",
      "first-page": "557",
      "volume": "11",
      "author": "Gonzalez-Hernandez",
      "year": "1992",
      "journal-title": "Appl. Phys. Comm."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref031",
      "first-page": "101",
      "volume-title": "Advanced Data Storage Materials and Characterization Techniques",
      "author": "Lowrey",
      "year": "2004"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref023",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.1654983"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref021",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.37.1504"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref002",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.1653653"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref027",
      "unstructured": "27 Gill M. Lowrey T. and Park J. in ISSCC 2002 Tech. Dig. (2002) paper No. 12.4."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref026",
      "unstructured": "26 Maimon J. Hunt K. Rogers J. Burcin L. and Knowles K. Proc. NVTMS Conf. (2002)."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref020",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.22.1065"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref004",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1038/scientificamerican0577-36"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref024",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1016/0022-3093(72)90176-7"
    },
    {
      "volume-title": "2003 IEDM Tech. Dig.",
      "year": "2003",
      "author": "Pirovano",
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref032"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref029",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "unstructured": "29 Lee S.H. Hwang Y.N. Lee S.Y. Ryoo K.C. Ahn S.J. Koo H.C. Jeong C.W. Kim Y.T. Koh G.H. Jeong G.T. Jeong H.S. and Kim K. in 2004 Symp. on VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Papers (2004) p. 20.",
      "DOI": "10.1109/VLSIT.2004.1345369"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref017",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.359779"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref014",
      "first-page": "33",
      "volume-title": "IEEE Proc. CAS 1",
      "author": "Ovshinsky",
      "year": "1998"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref013",
      "unstructured": "13 Wicker G. \u201cA Comprehensive Model of Submicron Chalcogenide Switching Devices,\u201d PhD dissertation, Wayne State University, Detroit, Mich. (1996)."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref001",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1103/PhysRevLett.21.1450"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref003",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1146/annurev.ms.02.080172.003405"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref005",
      "first-page": "173",
      "volume-title": "Proc. SPIE 420",
      "author": "Takenaga",
      "year": "1983"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref030",
      "first-page": "83",
      "volume-title": "Advanced Data Storage Materials and Characterization Techniques",
      "author": "Privitera",
      "year": "2004"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref006",
      "unstructured": "6 Neale R.G. Nelson D.L. and Moore G.E. Electronics (September 1970) p. 56."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref008",
      "first-page": "105",
      "volume-title": "Proc. SPIE 695",
      "author": "Terao",
      "year": "1986"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref007",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.97617"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref028",
      "doi-asserted-by": "crossref",
      "unstructured": "28 Pellizzer F. Pirovano A. Ottogalli F. Magistretti M. Scaravaggi M. Zuliani P. Tosi M. Benvenuti A. Besana P. Cadeo S. Marangon T. Morandi R. Piva R. Spandre A. Zonca R. Modelli A. Varesi E. Lowrey T. Lacaita A. Casagrande G. Cappelleti P. and Bez R. in 2004 Symp. on VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Papers (2004) p. 18.",
      "DOI": "10.1109/VLSIT.2004.1345368"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref009",
      "first-page": "188",
      "volume-title": "Proc. SPIE 899",
      "author": "Akahira",
      "year": "1988"
    },
    {
      "volume-title": "Proc. Int. Symp. Optical Memory",
      "year": "1989",
      "author": "Ohta",
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref010"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref012",
      "unstructured": "12 Ovshinsky S.R. Hudgens S.J. Czubatyj W. Strand D.A. and Wicker G.C. \u201cElectrically erasable phase change memory,\u201d U.S. Patent No. 5,166,758 (November 24, 1992)."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref022",
      "first-page": "452",
      "volume-title": "IEEE Trans. Electron. Dev.",
      "volume": "51",
      "author": "Pirovano",
      "year": "2004"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref015",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1117/12.364449"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref016",
      "unstructured": "16 Okuda M. Naito H. and Matsushita T. in Proc. Int. Symp. Optical Memory (1991) p. 73."
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref018",
      "first-page": "36",
      "volume-title": "2001 IEDM Tech. Dig. Int.",
      "author": "Lai",
      "year": "2001"
    },
    {
      "key": "S0883769400016778_ref025",
      "doi-asserted-by": "publisher",
      "DOI": "10.1063/1.328036"
    }
  ],
  "container-title": "MRS Bulletin",
  "original-title": [],
  "language": "en",
  "link": [
    {
      "URL": "https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S0883769400016778",
      "content-type": "unspecified",
      "content-version": "vor",
      "intended-application": "similarity-checking"
    }
  ],
  "deposited": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2025,
        3,
        2
      ]
    ],
    "date-time": "2025-03-02T09:42:33Z",
    "timestamp": 1740908553000
  },
  "score": 1,
  "resource": {
    "primary": {
      "URL": "http://link.springer.com/10.1557/mrs2004.236"
    }
  },
  "subtitle": [],
  "short-title": [],
  "issued": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2004,
        11
      ]
    ]
  },
  "references-count": 32,
  "journal-issue": {
    "issue": "11",
    "published-print": {
      "date-parts": [
        [
          2004,
          11
        ]
      ]
    }
  },
  "alternative-id": [
    "S0883769400016778"
  ],
  "URL": "http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/mrs2004.236",
  "relation": {},
  "ISSN": [
    "0883-7694",
    "1938-1425"
  ],
  "subject": [],
  "container-title-short": "MRS Bull.",
  "published": {
    "date-parts": [
      [
        2004,
        11
      ]
    ]
  }
}