University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Nanometer-scale temperature measurements of phase change memory and carbon nanomaterials

Grosse, Kyle L.

Content Files
Kyle_Grosse.pdf

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/50582

Description

Title
Nanometer-scale temperature measurements of phase change memory and carbon nanomaterials
Author(s)
Grosse, Kyle L.
Issue Date
2014-09-16
Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)
King, William P.
Doctoral Committee Chair(s)
King, William P.
Committee Member(s)
  • Pop, Eric
  • Nam, SungWoo
  • Aluru, Narayana R.
Department of Study
Mechanical Sci & Engineering
Discipline
Mechanical Engineering
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Date of Ingest
2014-09-16T17:24:07Z
Keyword(s)
  • Nanometer-scale thermometry
  • Phase Change Memory
  • Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST)
  • Graphene
  • Scanning Joule Expansion Microscopy (SJEM)
  • Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
  • Heat Transfer
  • Thermoelectrics
Abstract
This work investigates nanometer-scale thermometry and thermal transport in new electronic devices to mitigate future electronic energy consumption. Nanometer-scale thermal transport is integral to electronic energy consumption and limits current electronic performance. New electronic devices are required to improve future electronic performance and energy consumption, but heat generation is not well understood in these new technologies. Thermal transport deviates significantly at the nanometer-scale from macroscopic systems as low dimensional materials, grain structure, interfaces, and thermoelectric effects can dominate electronic performance. This work develops and implements an atomic force microscopy (AFM) based nanometer-scale thermometry technique, known as scanning Joule expansion microscopy (SJEM), to measure nanometer-scale heat generation in new graphene and phase change memory (PCM) devices, which have potential to improve performance and energy consumption of future electronics. Nanometer-scale thermometry of chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown graphene measured the heat generation at graphene wrinkles and grain boundaries (GBs). Graphene is an atomically-thin, two dimensional (2D) carbon material with promising applications in new electronic devices. Comparing measurements and predictions of CVD graphene heating predicted the resistivity, voltage drop, and temperature rise across the one dimensional (1D) GB defects. This work measured the nanometer-scale temperature rise of thin film Ge2Sb2Te5 (GST) based PCM due to Joule, thermoelectric, interface, and grain structure effects. PCM has potential to reduce energy consumption and improve performance of future electronic memory. A new nanometer-scale thermometry technique is developed for independent and direct observation of Joule and thermoelectric effects at the nanometer-scale, and the technique is demonstrated by SJEM measurements of GST devices. Uniform heating and GST properties are observed for mixed amorphous and crystalline phase GST. However, heterogeneous heating and GST phase distribution are observed for mixed crystalline phases of GST. The properties of GST thin films are evaluated using macroscopic and SJEM measurements. The thermopower of GST thin films depends on the local grain structure and has potential to significantly decrease future PCM energy consumption. This dissertation presents nanometer-scale thermometry measurements of Joule and thermoelectric effects in new graphene and PCM devices due to defects, interfaces, and grain structure: important for developing future electronics and increasing knowledge of nanometer-scale thermal transport.
Graduation Semester
2014-08
Permalink
http://hdl.handle.net/2142/50582
Copyright and License Information
Copyright 2014 Kyle L. Grosse

Owning Collections

Graduate Dissertations and Theses at Illinois PRIMARY
Graduate Theses and Dissertations at Illinois
Dissertations and Theses - Mechanical Science and Engineering