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 $105cycles$⁠.