Smart phase-change memory devices for energy conservation

Abstract The modern world is full of smart electronic gadgets with amazing features and tremendous capabilities to perform various tasks, analyze and respond to the surrounding environment and making decisions of their own. The devices are not only smart but also compact and thus require tiny and compact constituent parts. The major component of these smart devices is the storage unit which makes them proficient in their work. One of the major challenges is the miniaturization of memory devices without any loss of data. Silicon-based memory devices encounter the limitation of data loss when their size is reduced. Chalcogenide-based phase-change memory devices overcome this problem and are potential candidates for storage media. In this manuscript, a brief review of the chalcogenide materials exhibiting phase-change memory phenomena along with the different methods to induce phase transitions is discussed.