Synthesis and time-resolved structural analysis of the switching behavior of epitaxial phase change materials for nanoscale data storage applications

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The laser considered in the main proposal and granted on 2007-11-08 is well suited for the first phase of the project. However, it lacks the high repetition rate and synchronization capabilities required for the time-resolved measurements of the second project phase. With the setup detailed in the original project proposal, it could be used for proof-of-principle time-resolved measurements. The measurement times, however, would be very long (estimated to at least 10 h per measurement), and the signal-tonoise ratio and time resolution would be limited. The now available system meets all the requirements defined above: pulse length 130 fs to 220 ps, pulse energy >2.8 mJ, repetition rate 1.25kHz, single pulse operation, synchronization to synchrotron, wavelength 750 to 860 nm, solid state system. With the laser system now available, we could dramatically expand the scope of the experiments, since time-resolved measurements could be performed within a much shorter time (leading to increased sample throughput) and on less stable samples, thereby dramatically improving the success probability (reduced number of switching cycles per sample). Since the laser considered in the main proposal does not offer a solid perspective for time-resolved measurements, it would not make economical sense to now start with this system and obtain the new laser later on. The new laser proposed here can perform all measurements planned in the first project phase. We therefore propose to not acquire the laser granted on 2007-11-08, but instead use the funds allocated for that system to partially fund the new laser, together with the funds applied for in this project proposal addendum.