Microstructural and optical analysis of superresolution phenomena due to Ge2Sb2Te5 thin films at blue light regime

Abstract

Superresolution (SR) phenomena due to Ge2Sb2Te5 films were examined by combined analysis of the transmission electron microscopy (TEM) microstructures of the laser-irradiated films and the results from dynamic and static tests using blue lasers. A new finding was made that comprises a complementary case of the classical SR readout by Ge2Sb2Te5 film; an amorphous band instead of a closed aperture of melt in the crystalline background forms behind a moving laser but still produces a high SR signal. A complete carrier-to-noise-ratio curve of a SR-read-only memory employing Ge2Sb2Te5 may be derived from a nonlinear optical effect, specifically thermally assisted saturable absorption.