Heterogeneous Coherent Interface Enabling Nonstochastic Crystallization for Phase‐Change Memory

ABSTRACT Phase‐change memory (PCM) displays great promise for the storage‐class memory (SCM) technology due to its combination of fast speed of dynamic random‐access memory and nonvolatility of Flash. Yet, to meet the high industrial requirement of write/erase speed for the SCM application, robust strategies for further accelerating phase transition, particularly from amorphous to crystalline PCM materials, are urgently needed. In this work, we propose a unique strategy of coherent‐interface induced ultrafast crystallization in PCM materials. Employing rock‐salt YAs/Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 as a prototype, systematic first‐principles molecular dynamics demonstrate that rapid nonstochastic crystallization behaviors can be achieved by the rock‐salt‐lattice‐matching and high‐temperature‐resistant heterogeneous interface attached to the popular PCM material Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST). Further experiment shows that the YAs‐incorporated GST device has a faster SET process compared with the pure GST device. Finally, to extend the strategy in the family of inorganic materials, high‐throughput screening from over 150 000 structures discovers as many as 71 candidates for coherent interfaces with PCM GST. The present study establishes a promising strategy to overcome the speed bottleneck of PCM through atomic‐scale interface design for future storage‐class memory implementation.