Thermal Transport in Chalcogenide-Based Phase Change Materials: A Journey from Fundamental Physics to Device
Kiumars Aryana1,2, Cosmin Constantin Popescu3, Hongyi Sun4,5
1NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, 23666, USA.
Abstract:
Advancements in nanofabrication processes have propelled nonvolatile phase change materials (PCMs) beyond storage-class applications. They are now making headway in fields such as photonic integrated circuits (PIC), free-space optics, and plasmonics. This shift is owed to their distinct electrical, optical, and thermal properties between their different atomic structures, which can be reversibly switched through thermal stimuli. However, the reliability of PCM-based optical components is not yet on par with that of storage-class devices. This is in part due to the challenges in maintaining a uniform temperature distribution across the PCM volume during phase transformation, which is essential to mitigate stress and element segregation as the device size exceeds a few micrometers. Understanding thermal transport in PCM-based devices is thus crucial as it dictates not only the durability but also the performance and power consumption of these devices. This article reviews recent advances in the development of PCM-based photonic devices from a thermal transport perspective and explores potential avenues to enhance device reliability. The aim is to provide insights into how PCM-based technologies can evolve beyond storage-class applications, maintain their functionality, and achieve longer lifetimes.
Related Concept Videos
Phase Changes
A substance melts or freezes at a temperature called its melting point and boils or condenses at its boiling point. These temperatures depend on pressure. High pressure favors the denser form of the substance, so typically, high pressure...
Phase Transitions
Phase Transitions: Melting and Freezing
States of Matter and Phase Changes
Phase Transitions: Sublimation and Deposition
Heating and Cooling Curves
For instance, the addition of heat raises the temperature of a solid; the amount of heat absorbed depends on the heat capacity of the solid (q = mcsolidΔT). According to thermochemistry, the relation between the amount of heat absorbed or released by a substance, q, and its...


