Effects of annealing conditions on the crystallization and grain growth of metastable Ge2Sb2Te5

Abstract

The Ge2Sb2Te5 thin films deposited by a sputtering method on a SiO2/Si substrate were annealed. and subjected to transmission electron microscopy in order to investigate the crystallization and growth of the metastable Ge2Sb2Te5. The metastable Ge2Sb2Te5 was initially crystallized with 10-nm-sized grains and its sheet resistance was still as high as in the amorphous state. Sheet resistance was abruptly decreased at the grain growth stage after the crystallization.