Chalcogenides Metastability and Phase Change Phenomena /

• Main Authors: Kolobov, Alexander V. (Author), Tominaga, Junji (Author)
• Corporate Author: SpringerLink (Online service)
• Format: Electronic eBook
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin, Heidelberg : Springer Berlin Heidelberg : Imprint: Springer, 2012.
• Series: Springer Series in Materials Science, 164
• Subjects: Materials science.; Optics.; Optoelectronics.; Plasmons (Physics).; Engineering.; Optical materials.; Electronic materials.; Materials Science.; Optical and Electronic Materials.; Optics, Optoelectronics, Plasmonics and Optical Devices.; Engineering, general.
• Physical Description: XVI, 284 p. online resource.
• ISBN: 9783642287053
• ISSN: 0933-033X ;

A state-of-the-art description of metastability observed in chalcogenide alloys is presented with the accent on the underlying physics. A comparison is made between sulphur(selenium)-based chalcogenide glasses, where numerous photo-induced phenomena take place entirely within the amorphous phase, and tellurides where a reversible crystal-to-amorphous phase-change transformation is a major effect. Applications of metastability in devices¿optical memories and nonvolatile electronic phase-change random-access memories among others are discussed, including the latest trends. Background material essential for understanding current research in the field is also provided.