Inserting Thienyl Linkers into Conjugated Molecules for Efficient Multilevel Electronic Memory: A New Understanding of Charge-Trapping in Organic Materials

Exploring Single Atom Substitution In Phenanthro[9,10-d]Imidazole -Based D-π-A Architectures with Fluorene and its Heteroanalogs for Non-Volatile Resistive WORM Memory Device Applications

A series of D-π-A compounds, with fluorene and its heteroanalogs (carbazole, dibenzofuran, dibenzothiophene) as the donor units and phenanthroimidazole as the acceptor, were designed and synthesized for non-volatile memory device applications. The effect of single-atom substitution on memory behavior was examined through optical, electrochemical, and computational studies. The photophysical studies confirm a significant intramolecular charge transfer from the donor to the acceptor unit, and the electrochemical analysis shows an irreversible anodic peak (0.99-1.21 V) with an optimal band gap ranging from 2.80 to 2.88 eV. All the compounds exhibited non-volatile binary WORM memory behaviour with an ON/OFF current ratio of 105 and 103. The devices also showed excellent stability over 100 cycles and maintained a retention time of 4000 s. Notably, the compound with carbazole substitution displayed a lower threshold voltage and a higher ON/OFF current ratio of 105. Density functional theory calculations confirmed that the combined effects of charge transfer and charge trapping mechanisms are crucial to the resistive switching mechanisms observed. This work highlights the potential of single atom substitution in D-π-A systems, providing valuable insights for designing high-performance data storage devices.

Tripodal Triazine and 1,8-Naphthalimide-based Small Molecules as Efficient Photocatalysts for Visible-light Oxidative Condensation

Tripodal donor-acceptor (D-A) small molecules Tr-Np3 and Tr-T-Np3 consisting of triphenyl triazine and 1,8-naphthalimide, without and with a thiophene spacer have been synthesized. Their optical and redox properties were thoroughly investigated along with their utilization as photocatalysts in organic transformations. Compounds Tr-Np3 and Tr-T-Np3 showed broad absorption in the range of 290-480 nm in solutions and 300-510 nm in thin films. These tripodal molecules displayed wide optical bandgaps of (Eg opt ) 3.10 eV and 2.64 eV with very deep-lying HOMO energy levels (-6.60 eV and -6.03 eV) and low-lying LUMO levels (-3.50 eV and -3.40 eV). Appreciable electron mobilities of 5.24×10-4  cm2 /Vs and 6.14×10-4  cm2 /Vs were obtained for compounds Tr-Np3 and Tr-T-Np3 respectively by space-charge limited current (SCLC) measurements. Metal-free tripodal molecules Tr-Np3 and Tr-T-Np3 showed excellent photocatalytic abilities towards condensation of aromatic aldehydes and o-phenylenediamine followed by cyclization under visible light to yield benzimidazole derivatives that are of high medicinal value.

Toward Highly Robust Nonvolatile Multilevel Memory by Fine Tuning of the Nanostructural Crystalline Solid-State Order

Organic resistive memory (ORM) offers great promise for next-generation high-density multilevel-cell (MLC) data storage. However, the fine tuning of crystalline order among its active layer still remains challenging, which largely restricts ORM behavior. Here, an exceptional solid-state transition from disordered orientations to highly-uniform orientation within the ORM layer is facilely triggered via molecular strategic tailoring. Two diketopyrrolopyrrole-based small molecular analogues (NI₁ TDPP and NI₂ TDPP) are demonstrated to display different symmetry. The asymmetric NI₁ TDPP shows an irregular solid-state texture, while the centro-symmetric NI₂ TDPP conforms to an ordered out-of-plane single-crystalline pattern that aligns with the foremost charge transportation along the substrate normal, and exhibits excellent MLC memory characteristics. Moreover, this highly oriented pattern guarantees the large-area film uniformity, leading to the twofold increase in the yield of as-fabricated ORM devices. This study reveals that the solid-state crystalline nanostructural order of organic materials can be controlled by reasonable molecular design to actuate high-performance organic electronic circuits.

Benzoselenadiazole-Based Conjugated Molecules: Active Switching Layers with Nanofibrous Morphology for Nonvolatile Organic Resistive Memory Devices

In this work, two symmetrical donor-acceptor-donor (D-A-D) type benzoselenadiazole (BSeD)-based π-conjugated molecules were synthesized and employed as an active switching layer for non-volatile data storage applications. BSeD-based derivatives with different donor units attached through common vinylene linkers showed different electrical and optical properties. 4,7-Di((E)-styryl)benzo[c][2,1,3]selenadiazole (DSBSeD) and 4,7-bis((E)-4-methoxystyryl)benzo[c][2,1,3]selenadiazole (DMBSeD) are sandwiched between gallium-doped ZnO (GZO) and metal aluminum electrodes respectively through solution-processed spin-coating method. The solution-processed nanofibrous switching layer containing the DMBSeD-based memory device showed reliable memory characteristics in terms of write and erase operations with low SET voltage than the random-aggregated DSBSeD-based device. The nanofibrous molecular morphology of switching layer overcomes the interfacial hole transport energy barrier at the interface of the DMBSeD thin-film and the bottom GZO electrode. The memory device GZO/DMBSeD/Al based on nanofibrous switching layers shows switching characteristics at compliance current of 10 mA with V_set =0.79 V and V_reset =-0.55 V. This work will be beneficial for the rational design of advanced next-generation organic memory devices by controlling the nanostructured morphology of active organic switching layer for enhanced charge-transfer phenomenon.

Mussel-Inspired Polydopamine Coating for Flexible Ternary Resistive Memory

In recent years, numerous organic molecules and polymers carrying various functional groups were synthesized and used in fabrication of wearable electronic devices. Compared to previous materials that suffer from poisonousness, stiffness and complex film fabrication, we circumvent above matters by taking advantage of mussel-inspired polydopamine as our active material to realize resistive random access memories (RRAMs). Polydopamine thin films were grown on indium tin oxide glass catalyzed by Cu₂ SO₄ /H₂ O₂ and characterized by Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), UV/Vis spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The Al/Polydopamine film/ITO devices possess ternary memory behavior with good ternary device yield with two threshold voltages around 1.50 V and 3.50 V, long data retention over 10⁴  s of continuous reading or 10⁴ pulse reading. The two resistance switchings are attributed to defects functioning as charge traps and the formation of conductive filaments. A flexible device based on Al/polydopamine film/ITO/polyethylene terephthalate retains its ternary memory behavior after being bent with a bending radius of 1.54 cm and bending cycles up to 5000, demonstrating good compatibility and flexibility of polydopamine.

Solvents Effects on Film Morphologies and Memory Behavior of a Perylenediimide-Containing Pendent Polymer

The large polydispersity index of functional pendant polymers has hindered their application in semiconductors. Herein, a novel pendant polymer with perylenediimide (PDI) in the side chains was successfully synthesized through ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) with a very low polydispersity index. The synthesized polymers were spin-coated on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrate by using a mixture of 1,2-dichlorobenzene (o-DCB) and methanol (MeOH) solvents. The surface morphologies and intermolecular π-π stacking of the fabricated film could be adjusted through tuning of the ratio of o-DCB and MeOH, and thus, the sandwich-structured device of ITO/polymer/aluminum exhibited different electrical behavior. The threshold voltages of the devices decreased as the MeOH content was increased from 0 to 30 % (v/v); however, the device changed from being unrewritable to rewritable if the MeOH content was increased to 40 %; a probable mechanism for this process is discussed. It is hoped that this new idea of synthesizing narrow polydispersity index pendant polymers, and the fabrication of high-quality films through the use of a mixture of solvents could allow high-performance memory devices to be prepared in the future.

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-Poly(styrenesulfonate) Interlayer Insertion Enables Organic Quaternary Memory

Herein, for the first time, quaternary resistive memory based on an organic molecule is achieved via surface engineering. A layer of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)-poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT-PSS) was inserted between the indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode and the organic layer (squaraine, SA-Bu) to form an ITO/PEDOT-PSS/SA-Bu/Al architecture. The modified resistive random-access memory (RRAM) devices achieve quaternary memory switching with the highest yield (∼41%) to date. Surface morphology, crystallinity, and mosaicity of the deposited organic grains are greatly improved after insertion of a PEDOT-PSS interlayer, which provides better contacts at the grain boundaries as well as the electrode/active layer interface. The PEDOT-PSS interlayer also reduces the hole injection barrier from the electrode to the active layer. Thus, the threshold voltage of each switching is greatly reduced, allowing for more quaternary switching in a certain voltage window. Our results provide a simple yet powerful strategy as an alternative to molecular design to achieve organic quaternary resistive memory.

Surface engineering to achieve organic ternary memory with a high device yield and improved performance

Organic memories fabricated on surface-engineered indium tin oxide show the highest ternary yield (82%) to date and better performance.

Squaraine molecules deposited on indium tin oxide (ITO) substrates modified with phosphonic acids crystalize more orderly than do those on untreated ITO. The as-fabricated electro-resistive memories show the highest ternary device yield observed to date (82%), a narrower switching voltage distribution, and better retention as well as resistance uniformity.