Chalcogenide-based material, and switching device and memory device that include the same

A switching element comprising:

• a first electrode layer;
• a second electrode layer facing the first electrode layer;
• and
• a switching material layer between the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer, wherein
• the switching material layer includes a chalcogenide-based switching material,
• the chalcogenide-based switching material includes a chalcogenide material including Ge, Sb, and Se, and a dopant, and
• the dopant includes a metal or metalloid element selected from In, Al, Sr, and Si, an oxide of the metal or metalloid element, or a nitride of the metal or metalloid element, wherein
• in the chalcogenide-based switching material, an amount of Ge is greater than or equal to 10 at % and less than or equal to 40 at %, an amount of Sb is greater than or equal to 20 at % and less than or equal to 50 at %, an amount of Se is greater than or equal to 30 at % and less than or equal 80 at %, and an amount of the dopant is greater than 0% and less than the amount of Se, and
• wherein at % refers to atomic percentage.

A memory device comprising:

• a first electrode layer;
• a switching material layer on the first electrode layer;
• a variable resistance layer on the switching material layer;
• and
• a second electrode layer on the variable resistance layer, wherein
• the switching material layer includes a chalcogenide-based switching material,
• the chalcogenide-based switching material includes a chalcogenide material including Ge, Sb, and Se, and a dopant, and
• the dopant includes a metal or metalloid element selected from In, Al, Sr, and Si, an oxide of the metal or metalloid element, or a nitride of the metal or metalloid element,
• wherein, in the chalcogenide-based switching material, an amount of Ge is greater than or equal to 10 at % and less than or equal to 40 at %, an amount of Sb is greater than or equal to 20 at % and less than or equal to 50 at %, an amount of Se is greater than or equal to 30 at % and less than or equal 80 at %, and an amount of the dopant is greater than 0% and less than the amount of Se, and
• wherein at % refers to atomic percentage.

A memory device comprising:

• a first electrode line layer including a plurality of first electrode lines that extend in a first direction and are spaced apart each other;
• a second electrode line layer on the first electrode line layer and including a plurality of second electrode lines that extend in a second direction and are spaced apart from each other, the second direction being different than the first direction, and the plurality of first electrode lines and the plurality of second electrode lines crossing each other to form a plurality of intersections;
• and
• a plurality of memory cells electrically connected between the plurality of first electrode lines and the plurality of second electrode lines at intersections thereof, wherein
• the plurality of memory cells each include a variable resistance layer and a switching material layer electrically connected to the variable resistance layer,
• the switching material layer includes a chalcogenide-based switching material, the chalcogenide-based switching material includes a chalcogenide material including Ge, Sb, Se, and a dopant, and
• the dopant includes a metal or metalloid element selected from In, Al, Sr, and Si, an oxide of the metal or metalloid element, or a nitride of the metal or metalloid element,
• wherein, in the chalcogenide-based switching material, an amount of Ge is greater than or equal to 10 at % and less than or equal to 40 at %, an amount of Sb is greater than 20 at % and less than or equal to 50 at %, an amount of Se is greater than or equal to 30 at % and less than or equal 80 at %, and an amount of the dopant is greater than 0% and less than the amount of Se, and
• wherein at % refers to atomic percentage.