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Published on: October 31, 2019
Stimuli-Responsive Phase Change Materials: Optical and Optoelectronic Applications
Irene Vassalini1,2,3, Ivano Alessandri1,2,3, Domenico de Ceglia3,4
1INSTM, Research Unit of Brescia, Via Branze 38, 25123 Brescia, Italy.
Abstract:
Stimuli-responsive materials offer a large variety of possibilities in fabrication of solid- state devices. Phase change materials (PCMs) undergo rapid and drastic changes of their optical properties upon switching from one crystallographic phase to another one. This peculiarity makes PCMs ideal candidates for a number of applications including sensors, active displays, photonic volatile and non-volatile memories for information storage and computer science and optoelectronic devices. This review analyzes different examples of PCMs, in particular germanium-antimonium tellurides and vanadium dioxide (VO2) and their applications in the above-mentioned fields, with a detailed discussion on potential, limitations and challenges.
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