Reviews

Chalcogenide vitreous semiconductors in memory and information processing devices

A. V. Kolobov^ab, P. I. Lazarenko<sup>bc

a</sup> Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, Institute of Physics, St. Petersburg
^b Research Institute of Physical Research, Herzen State Pedagogical University of Russia, St. Petersburg
^c Research laboratory "Active photonic materials and devices", National Research University of Electronic Technology (MIET), 124498 Moscow, Zelenograd, Russia

Abstract: The discovery in 1955 of the semiconducting properties of chalcogenide glasses by B.T. Kolomiets and N.A. Goryunova started the era of amorphous semiconductors. The present review focuses on phase-change chalcogenides, which are now widely used in data recording and processing devices. After a historical introduction, the structure and properties of these materials are discussed, as well as current views on the mechanism of reversible phase transformations between the amorphous and crystalline states and the nature of the property contrast between them. This is followed by a description of commercial implementations of phase-change materials in optical and electronic non-volatile memory devices. The review concludes with a discussion of current trends in research and applications of phase-change chalcogenides, in particular, in 3D XPoint memory devices based on the Ovshinsky threshold switching effect, as well as in electronic and photonic neuromorphic networks.

Received: 09.11.2025
Revised: 17.11.2025
Accepted: 17.11.2025

DOI: 10.61011/FTP.2025.09.62222.8784