Femtosecond laser-irradiated crystallization of amorphous Si2Sb2Te3 films and its in-situ characterization by coherent phonon spectroscopy

Opt Express. 2013 Apr 22;21(8):10222-7. doi: 10.1364/OE.21.010222.

Abstract

Femtosecond laser-irradiation-induced phase change of a new amorphous Si(2)Sb(2)Te(3) film with a good thermal stability and low reset current is studied by coherent phonon spectroscopy. New coherent optical phonons (COP) occur as laser irradiation fluence reaches some threshold, implying laser-induced phase change emerged. The compositions in phase-changed area revealed by COP modes agree well with ones in reported annealed crystallized film, implying laser-induced phase change as crystallization. Pump fluence dependence of COP dynamics reveals good crystallization quality of the phase-changed film, exhibiting promising application of Si(2)Sb(2)Te(3) films in optical phase change memory. Acoustic phonons are also found and identified.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Crystallization / methods*
  • Lasers*
  • Materials Testing
  • Membranes, Artificial*
  • Photons
  • Silicon / chemistry*
  • Silicon / radiation effects*
  • Spectrum Analysis / methods*

Substances

  • Membranes, Artificial
  • Silicon