An electrically driven structural phase transition in single Ag2Te nanowire devices

Abstract

Exploring new phase-change materials is instrumental in the progression of electronic memory devices. Ag₂Te with its reversible structural phase transition, and in the form of nanowires, has become an apt candidate for potential use in nanoscale memory devices. Here, we report a study on the temperature- or electrically-driven phase change properties of crystalline Ag₂Te nanowires. We first demonstrate that this structural phase change can be achieved via heating up the nanowires, which results in a sharp drop in conductance. Then we show that a DC voltage (<1 V) induced Joule heating can be used to reach the phase transition, even without any external heating. This work shows the potential of using Ag₂Te nanowires as a phase-change material in low voltage and low power nanoscale devices.