An all-organic composite system for resistive change memory via the self-assembly of plastic-crystalline molecules

An Na Cha, Sang A. Lee, Sukang Bae, Sang Hyun Lee, Dong Su Lee, Gunuk Wang, Tae Wook Kim

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

An all-organic composite system was introduced as an active component for organic resistive memory applications. The active layer was prepared by mixing a highly polar plastic-crystalline organic molecule (succinonitrile, SN) into an insulating polymer (poly(methyl methacrylate), PMMA). As increasing concentrations of SN from 0 to 3.0 wt % were added to solutions of different concentrations of PMMA, we observed distinguishable microscopic surface structures on blended films of SN and PMMA at certain concentrations after the spin-casting process. The structures were organic dormant volcanos composed of micron-scale PMMA craters and disk type SN lava. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDX) analysis showed that these structures were located in the middle of the film. Self-assembly of the plastic-crystalline molecules resulted in the phase separation of the SN:PMMA mixture during solvent evaporation. The organic craters remained at the surface after the spincasting process, indicative of the formation of an all-organic composite film. Because one organic crater contains one SN disk, our system has a coplanar monolayer disk composite system, indicative of the simplest composite type of organic memory system. Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the composite films with organic craters revealed that our all-organic composite system showed unipolar type resistive switching behavior. From logarithmic I-V characteristics, we found that the current flow was governed by space charge limited current (SCLC). From these results, we believe that a plastic-crystalline molecule-polymer composite system is one of the most reliable ways to develop organic composite systems as potential candidates for the active components of organic resistive memory applications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2730-2738
Number of pages9
JournalACS Applied Materials and Interfaces
Volume9
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2017 Jan 25

Keywords

  • Organic composites
  • Organic craters
  • Organic disk
  • Resistive change memory
  • Space charge limited current
  • Succinonitrile

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Materials Science(all)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'An all-organic composite system for resistive change memory via the self-assembly of plastic-crystalline molecules'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this