Abstract: The present invention provides a phase change non-volatile memory material comprising a base material and at least one non-metallic light element selected from the group consisting of boron, carbon, nitrogen and oxygen, wherein the base material has a composition which corresponds to either that of congruent melting of the type with a minimum melting point or that of eutectic melting within the range of ±0.15 atomic fraction for each constituent element, thereby having a melting temperature of 600° C. or lower. The phase change non-volatile memory material according to the present invention may be utilized to reduce the electric power needed for reset/set operation and thermal interference between memory cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a non-volatile phase change memory cell containing an electrode contact layer disposed between a metal electrode layer and a phase change material layer, the electrode contact layer being formed of a transparent conducting oxide-based material which has a high electric conductivity, a low thermal conductivity and a good thermal stability. A non-volatile phase change memory cell according to the present invention may be utilized to reduce the electric power needed for reset and set operation.

Abstract: An optical data storage medium comprises a super-resolution (SR) layer consisting of thermoelectric material, said SR layer having light absorption, transmittance and reflectance at the wavelength of an incident light and maintaining a crystalline single phase without a structural or chemical change below the melting temperature of the material. SR readout of data from and/or SR writing of data onto the medium is carried out by way of thermoelectrically induced optical changes within a local area of the SR layer under laser irradiation.