Phase-change recording materials with a growth-dominated crystallization mechanism: A materials overview

The influence of phase-change material composition on amorphous phase stability, crystallization rate, nucleation probability, optical constants and media noise is reported for materials with a growth dominated crystallization mechanism. Two material classes have been studied, doped Sb-Te and doped Sb-based compositions. The material properties of both are greatly influenced by their composition, and in a similar way. For both materials systems hold that the antimony content especially influences the crystallization rate, amorphous phase stability and media noise of the phase-change material. Compositions rich in antimony generally show high crystallization rates, low archival life stability and high media noise. The material properties are further influenced by the presence of dopants like tellurium, germanium, gallium, indium or tin. Germanium and tellurium reduce the crystallization rate, but are essential to increase the amorphous phase stability. Dopants like tin or indium are added to increase the crystallization rate or to adjust the optical constants. (C) 2005 American Institute of Physics.