In this paper, Sb52Se36Te12 is proposed for its good data retention and extremely rapid crystallization speed. Compared with usual Ge2Sb2Te5, Sb52Se36Te12 exhibits a higher crystallization temperature of 196 degrees C, a better thermal stability, indicating a brilliant performance for data retention of 10 years at 121 degrees C, and a much faster switching speed, which is demonstrated by an electric pulse as short as 8 ns that can fulfil the set operation. Thus, Sb52Se36Te12 could be expected to have a wide application in the fields of phase change memory with rapid crystallization speed and high-temperature data retention. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.