Electron beam irradiation induced crystallization behavior of amorphous Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ chalcogenide material

The crystallization of amorphous Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ phase change material induced by electron beam irradiation was investigated by in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Amorphous matrix transformed into a partially crystalline state after being irradiated with a 200-keV electron beam for a long time. Real-time observation revealed that the crystallization of amorphous Ge₂Sb₂Te₅ film occurs through a nucleation and growth mechanism under electron beam irradiation in TEM. While uncertainty from the 2D projection remains, the nuclei have been observed to grow preferentially along the < 100> direction.