Fullerene thermal insulation for phase change memory

Phase change random access memory (PRAM) is unique among semiconductor devices because heat is intrinsic to the operation of the device, not just a by-product. Here, we apply a material that is exotic in the context of typical semiconductor devices but has highly desirable properties for PRAM. Thin films of C60 are semiconducting and show very low thermal conductance. By inserting a C60 layer between the phase change material and the metal electrode, we dramatically reduced the heat dissipation and, thereby, the operating current. A PRAM device incorporating a C60 layer operated stably for more than 105 cycles.