Numerical simulation of programming and read process for nano-scale phase-change memory (PCM) cell

As one of the candidates of the next generation non-volatile memory(NVM), phase change memory(PCM) has been paid more attention. However, there are still many open issues such as numerical simulation to study. Phase transition is a temperature based process, which can be simulated by temperature profile generated by the device simulator coupled with the phase transition model. In this work, a phase transition model is implemented, which can provide the amorphization process simulation and the nucleation process simulation, and the set and reset process are simulated. Meanwhile the readout I-V characteristics are simulated and discussed.