Phase Change Pipe for Nonvolatile Routing

An eight-contact phase change data router is described. This device comprises a phase-change-material forming a short-pipe geometry with four metal contacts at each end. The device is configured to facilitate connection or isolation between two input and two output terminals (2×2) by amorphizing strips between pairs of “write” terminals. The short pipe geometry enables the implementation of a “swap” function in this 2-D thin-film device. The functionality of this device is demonstrated through 2-D electro-thermal simulations using Ge
₂
Sb
₂
Te
₅
parameters and field effect transistor access devices.