Physical Properties and Structural Characterization of a Sb 100− x Er x Binary System

Sb 100− x Er x thin films were prepared by magnetron sputtering, and the electrical and thermal properties were investigated by in situ resistance measurement. Both the crystallization temperature and data retention increased significantly with the increase in Er content, revealing an improvement in thermal stability. The resistance drift index decreased with the increase in Er concentration, indicating better reliability for device application. X-ray diffraction and transmission electronic microscopy showed that Sb 100− x Er x materials precipitate a single Sb crystalline phase and the crystallization process is inhibited by Er doping content. A T-shaped phase change memory cell based on Sb 96.9 Er 3.1 film exhibited faster operation speed and lower energy consumption than traditional Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 , showing promise for application in electronic storage.