Phase-change oscillations in silicon microwires

Cywar A., Bakan G., Boztuğ Yerci Ç. H., Silva H., Gokirmak A.

APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS, vol.94, no.7, 2009 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 94 Issue: 7
  • Publication Date: 2009
  • Doi Number: 10.1063/1.3083553
  • Journal Name: APPLIED PHYSICS LETTERS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Keywords: capacitance, electrical resistivity, elemental semiconductors, liquid semiconductors, nanostructured materials, phase change materials, resistors, semiconductor thin films, silicon, solid-liquid transformations, wires, ELECTRICAL-RESISTIVITY, OVONIC SWITCHES, OPERATION, MEMRISTOR, RESISTORS, DEVICES, MODE
  • TED University Affiliated: No

Abstract

We have observed liquid-solid phase-change oscillations in 2-5.5 mu m long silicon wires biased through a load resistor. Molten silicon resistivity is approximately 30 times lower than that of the room temperature solid-state resistivity of the highly doped nanocrystalline-silicon thin film used to fabricate the wires. Wires typically melt with 15-20 V electrical stresses, draining the parasitic capacitance introduced by the experimental setup within 1 mu s. The power dissipated in the wire is not sufficient to keep it in molten state after the discharge, leading to repeated melting and resolidification of the wires with 1 MHz, 2-20 mA current oscillations.