1State Key Laboratory of Functional Materials for Informatics and Nanotechnology Laboratory, Shanghai Institute of Micro-system and Information Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200050 2University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100080 3Shanghaitech University, Shanghai 200031
Abstract：The relaxation oscillation of the phase change memory (PCM) devices based on the Ge$_{2}$Sb$_{2}$Te$_{5}$ material is investigated by applying square current pulses. The current pulses with different amplitudes could be accurately given by the independently designed current testing system. The relaxation oscillation across the PCM device could be measured using an oscilloscope. The oscillation duration decreases with time, showing an inner link with the shrinking threshold voltage $V_{\rm th}$. However, the relaxation oscillation would not terminate until the remaining voltage $V_{\rm on}$ reaches the holding voltage $V_{\rm h}$. This demonstrates that the relaxation oscillation might be controlled by $V_{\rm on}$. The increasing current amplitudes could only quicken the oscillation velocity but not be able to eliminate it, which indicates that the relaxation oscillation might be an inherent behavior for the PCM cell.
2016, Vol. 33 
