Optical–electrical properties of AgInSbTe phase change thin films under single picosecond laser pulse irradiation

Phase transition triggered by picosecond (ps) single-shot laser pulse in as-deposited AgInSbTe films was achieved with appropriate laser fluence. Structure transition is further conformed by micro-area X-ray diffraction measurement. Current–voltage curves of the amorphous and the picosecond laser-crystallized area were measured by conductive atomic microscopy. Ultrafast laser pulse recording and electrically reading will be very promising for phase change data storage due to high data transfer rate and high readout signal-to-noise ratio. These results will be helpful to make ultrafast optical–electrical hybrid phase change data storage feasible.