Dynamics of amorphization induced in crystalline Ge1Sb2Te4 films by single femtosecond pulses

The dynamics and the conditions of amorphous transitions induced in a Ge1Sb2Te4 system upon a single femtosecond (fs) pulse melting were studied by real-time reactivity measurements. The system has a multilayer structure of 100 nm ZnS-SiO2/(15-100 nm) Ge1Sb2Te4/120 nm ZnS SiO2/0.6mm polycarbonate substrate. It is shown that under optimum conditions amorphization is completed within 900 ps. The thickness of the phase change layer plays an important role in controlling the heat flow conditions in the system upon a fs pulse irradiation. The use of the fs laser pulse leads to a situation in which the pulse energy is deposited within a very short time in a thin surface layer, leading to heating or melting. The so-generated steep temperature gradient is subsequently smoothed by heat diffuion toward the substrate. The relative thermal process and effects are estimated. The calculated results are consisted with those from real-time reactivity measurements. The mechanism of crystalline to amorphous transition triggered by single fs laser pulses is discussed.