Advanced Metrics for Quantification of By-Process Segregation beyond Ternary Systems

Ge-rich GST (GGST) alloys have been shown to fulfill the tough temperature specifications required by automotive applications. Thus, they are the most promising materials for the embedded phase-change memory market. In this respect, the characterization of the material properties once patterned and fully integrated is instrumental to improve the process and optimize the device performance. A description of the material behavior through a realistic sequence of process steps is still missing. Herein, a statistical-based methodology capable to extract advanced metrics for the quantification of by-process segregation beyond ternary systems is presented, capable to quantify thermal evolution of any out-of-stoichiometry and segregated material beyond ternary systems. The methodology to study the physical behavior of GGST as a function of a typical back-end-of-line (BEOL) process is exploited, providing a further comparison between three different BEOL-ended GGST.