Impact of Thermal Boundary Resistance on Thermoelectric Effects of the Blade-Type Phase-Change Random Access Memory Device

Xiaojuan Lian; Xiaojuan Lian; Jinke Fu; Zhixuan Gao; Wang Ren; Xiang Wan; Qingying Ren; Jing Wen; Cihui Yang; Xiaoyan Liu; Lei Wang

doi:10.3389/fmats.2021.798398

Frontiers in Materials (Jan 2022)

Impact of Thermal Boundary Resistance on Thermoelectric Effects of the Blade-Type Phase-Change Random Access Memory Device

Xiaojuan Lian,
Xiaojuan Lian,
Jinke Fu,
Zhixuan Gao,
Wang Ren,
Xiang Wan,
Qingying Ren,
Jing Wen,
Cihui Yang,
Xiaoyan Liu,
Lei Wang

Affiliations

Xiaojuan Lian: Department of Microelectronics, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
Xiaojuan Lian: National and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of RF Integration and Micro-Assembly Technology, Nanjing, China
Jinke Fu: Department of Microelectronics, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
Zhixuan Gao: Department of Microelectronics, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
Wang Ren: Shanghai Aerospace Electronic Technology Institute, Shanghai, China
Xiang Wan: Department of Microelectronics, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
Qingying Ren: Electrical and Electronic Laboratory Center, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
Jing Wen: School of Information Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, China
Cihui Yang: School of Information Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, China
Xiaoyan Liu: Department of Microelectronics, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China
Lei Wang: Department of Microelectronics, College of Electrical and Optical Engineering and College of Microelectronics, Nanjing University of Post and Telecommunications, Nanjing, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmats.2021.798398
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 8

Abstract

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Phase-change random access memory (PCRAM) is widely regarded as one of the most promising candidates to replace Flash memory as the next generation of non-volatile memories due to its high-speed and low-power consumption characteristics. Recent advent of the blade-type PCRAM with low programming current merit further confirms its prospects. The thermoelectric effects existing inside the PCRAM devices have always been an important factor that determines the phase-transformation kinetics due to a fact that it allows PCRAM to have electric polarity dependent characteristics. However, the potential physics governing the thermoelectric effects for blade-type PCRAM device still remains vague. We establish a three-dimensional (3D) electro-thermal and phase-transformation model to study the influences of thermal boundary resistance (TBR) and device scaling on the thermoelectric effects of the blade-type PCRAM during its “RESET” operation. Our research shows that the presence of TBR significantly improves the electric polarity-dependent characteristics of the blade-type PCRAM, and such polarity-dependent characteristic is found immune to the scaling of the device. It is therefore possible to optimize the thermoelectric effects of the blade-type PCRAM through appropriately tailoring the TBR parameters, thus further lowering resulting power consumption.

Published in Frontiers in Materials

ISSN: 2296-8016 (Online)
Publisher: Frontiers Media S.A.
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Technology
Website: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/materials

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