Phase change materials: From structures to kinetics
Title | Phase change materials: From structures to kinetics |
Publication Type | Palaiseau Article |
Author Address | Welnic, W (Reprint Author), Ecole Polytech, CNRS, CEA, Solides Irradies Lab,ETSF, F-91128 Palaiseau, France. Rhein Westfal TH Aachen Univ Technol, Inst Phys 1, D-52056 Aachen, Germany. |
DOI | 10.1557/JMR.2007.0301 |
Welnic, W, Kalb, JA, Wamwangi, D, Steimer, C, Wuttig, M | |
Publisher | MATERIALS RESEARCH SOCIETY |
Year of Publication | 2007 |
Journal | JOURNAL OF MATERIALS RESEARCH |
Volume | 22 |
Type of Work | Article |
URL | http://dx.doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2007.0301 |
Keywords | paper |
Pagination | 2368-2375 |
Abstract | Phase change materials possess a unique combination of properties, which includes a pronounced property contrast between the amorphous and crystalline state, i.e., high electrical and optical contrast. In particular, the latter observation is indicative of a considerable structural difference between the amorphous and crystalline state, which furthermore is characterized by a very high vacancy concentration unknown from common semiconductors. Through the use of ab initio calculations, this work shows how the electric and optical contrast is correlated with structural differences between the crystalline and the amorphous state and how the vacancy concentration controls the optical properties. Furthermore, crystal nucleation rates and crystal growth velocities of various phase change materials have been determined by atomic force microscopy and differential thermal analysis. In particular, the observation of different recrystallization mechanisms upon laser beating of amorphous marks is explained by the relative difference of just three basic parameters among these alloys, namely, the melt-crystalline interfacial energy, the entropy of fusion, and the glass transition temperature. |
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