Published online by Cambridge University Press: 31 January 2011
Epitaxial Ge2Sb2Te5 has been successfully grown on GaSb(001) by molecular beam epitaxy. The films show a tendency for void formation and rough morphology, but at the same time a very strong epitaxial orientation, cubic structure and a sharp interface to the substrate. The layers can be reversibly switched between the crystalline and amorphous phases using short laser pulses.