Electric field enhanced phase separation and memory switching in amorphous arsenic triselenide

Abstract
Electric field enhanced phase separation has been examined in amorphous As2Se3 and has been found to be a viable switching mechanism for this material. A simple theoretical analysis of this process is developed in which the formation of dispersed As clusters precedes the growth of an As filament. The analysis predicts that the switching behavior is field controlled and that devices biased below the point at which they switch instantly will switch at a later time. Measurements of the time for memory switching have been made for a large number of devices biased below ``threshold'' and the mean time for switching has been found to increase exponentially with decreasing applied field.

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