Characterizing the effects of etch-induced material modification on the crystallization properties of nitrogen doped Ge2Sb2Te5

The chemical and structural effects of processing on the crystallization of nitrogen doped Ge2Sb2Te5 is examined via x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), time resolved laser reflectivity, and time resolved x-ray diffraction (XRD). Time resolved laser reflectivity and XRD show that exposure to various etch and ash chemistries significantly reduces the crystallization speed while the transition temperature...