Structural basis for the fast phase change of GeSbTe; Ring statistics analogy between the crystal and amorphous states

Kohara, Shinji*; Kato, Kenichi*; Kimura, Shigeru*; Tanaka, Hitoshi*; Usuki, Takeshi*; Suzuya, Kentaro; Tanaka, Hiroshi*; Moritomo, Yutaka*; Matsunaga, Toshiyuki*; Yamada, Noboru*; Tanaka, Yoshihito*; Suematsu, Hiroyoshi*; Takata, Masaki*

The three-dimensional atomic configuration of amorphous GeSbTe were derived by reverse Monte Carlo simulation with synchrotron-radiation X-ray diffraction data. The authors found that amorphous GeSbTe can be regarded as "even-numbered ring structure", because the ring statistics is dominated by four- and six-fold rings analogous to the crystal phase. On the other hand, the formation of Ge-Ge homopolar bonds in amorphous GeTe constructs both odd- and even-numbered rings. They believe that the unusual ring statistics of amorphous GeSbTe is the key for the fast crystallization speed of the material.