Electrical switching dynamics in circular and rectangular Ge2Sb2Te5 nanopillar phase change memory devices

We have measured the critical phase change conditions induced by electrical pulses in Ge2Sb2Te5 nanopillar phase change memory devices by constructing a comprehensive resistance map as a function of pulse parameters (width, amplitude, and trailing edge). Our measurements reveal that the heating scheme and the details of the contact geometry play the dominant role in determining the final phase composition of the device, such that a nonuniform heating scheme using rectangular contacts promotes partial amorphization/crystallization in a wide range of pulse parameters enabling multiple resistance levels for data storage applications. Furthermore we find that fluctuations in the snap-back voltage and set/reset resistances in repeated switching experiments are related to the details of the current distribution, such that a uniform current injection geometry (i.e., circular contact) favors more reproducible switching parameters. This shows that possible geometrical defects in nanoscale phase change memory devic...