Phase‐Change and Ovonic Materials (Sixth Edition)

physica status solidi (RRL) - Rapid Research Letters, vol. 19

Abstract

It is with great pleasure that we introduce the sixth edition of the special issue on phase-change and ovonic materials, published annually in conjunction with the European Symposium on Phase Change and Ovonic Science (E\PCOS).Like its predecessors, this latest edition reflects the enduring strength and vitality of our community, built over 23 years of E\PCOS conferences.The 2024 edition, held last September in Leipzig (Germany), once again demonstrated the dynamic and flourishing state of research in this field.As with previous editions, this issue presents recent scientific and technological breakthroughs in phase-change and ovonic materials, while also exploring promising new applications.In addition to covering core topics, it highlights emerging interests in areas such as neuromorphic computing, nonlinear optics, and phasechange photonics.The issue aims to offer a broad and up-to-date overview-both experimental and theoretical-that is valuable to both established experts and new researchers entering the field.For those newer to our evolving community, it's worth revisiting the origins of E\PCOS.Founded in Switzerland in 2001, the symposium was originally created to advance the fundamental science of phase-change memory (PCM) materials, particularly in rewritable optical storage technologies such as CDs, DVDs, and Blu-ray Discs.Back then, it was known as the PCOS symposium.In 2005, its scope expanded to include the broader field of ovonic and phase-change science.E\PCOS can trace its roots even further back to the first PCOS symposium held in Japan in 1990, thanks to the vision and guidance of Professor Masahiro Okuda, who served as an early advisor to E\PCOS.In recent years, the field has grown considerably, branching into new and exciting directions.While the pioneering contributions of the late Stanford Ovshinsky remain central to the field,

Authors 3

1. Pierre Noé corresponding

   Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives · CEA Grenoble · Laboratoire d'Électronique des Technologies de l'Information

   Affiliation as printed

   University of Grenoble Alpes CEA, Leti F‐38000 Grenoble France

2. Bart Jan Kooi

   University of Groningen · Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials

   Affiliation as printed

   Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 NL‐9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands

   Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials University of Groningen Nijenborgh 4 NL‐9747 AG Groningen The Netherlands

3. Matthias Wuttig Aachen I. Physikalisches Institut

   RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich · Jülich Aachen Research Alliance

   Affiliation as printed

   I. Physikalisches Institut (IA) RWTH Aachen University Sommerfeldstraße 52074 Aachen Germany

   JARA‐Institut Green IT JARA‐FIT Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH and RWTH Aachen University 52056 Aachen Germany