Characterization of Copper Saturated-$Ge_xTe_{1-x}$ Solid Electrolyte Films Incoperated by Nitrogen for Programmable Metalization Cell Memory Device

A programmable metallization cell (PMC) memory structure with copper-saturated GeTe solid electrolyte films doped by nitrogen was prepared on a TiW bottom electrode by a co-sputtering technique at room temperature. The $Ge_{45}Te_{55}$ solid electrolyte films deposited with various $N_2$/Ar flow ratios showed an increase of crystallization temperature and especially, the electrolyte films deposited at $N_2$/Ar ratios above 30% showed a crystallization temperature above $400^{\circ}C$, resulting in surviving in a back-end process in semiconductor memory devices. The device with a 200 nm thick $Cu_{1-x}(Ge_{45}Te_{55})_x$ electrolyte switches at 1 V from an "off " state resistance, $R_{off}$, close to $10^5$ to an "on" resistance state, Ron, more than 20rders of magnitude lower for this programming current.