Bipolar resistive switching in a single layer memory device based on a conjugated copolymer

Abstract

The feasibility of employing polymer memory devices as future data-storage units was investigated by using thin films of a pi-conjugated copolymer, namely, poly(o-anthranilic acid-co-o-nitroaniline), which can be obtained by low-cost solution processing. Investigations on the conjugated-copolymer film showed that the hysteresis in the current-voltage characteristics can be used to perform "write-read-erase-read" memory functions. In addition, the ratio of the on/off current depended on the switching-on compliance current and the maximum voltage applied. This study suggests that the resistive switching of the copolymer device can be attributed to trap charging and discharging, which induce localized filament formation and disappearance. (c) 2007 American Institute of Physics.