Multistage resistive switching behavior organic coating films-based of memory devices

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.porgcoat.2020.105613Get rights and content

Highlights

  • The Al/PCBM + PVP/Al memory devices are prepared by spin-coating process.

  • The memory device exhibits a typical nonvolatile write-once-read-many-times storage effect.

  • The multistage resistive switching processes in memory device were reported.

  • The broken processes of carbon-rich conducting filament have been clarified.

  • The conductance quantization during resistive switching processes was analyzed.

Abstract

Memory devices were prepared by spin-coating process, and the multistage resistive switching behavior has been found in organic coating films-based of memory device. The composite of [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester and polyvinyl pyrrolidone were used as active layer materials. The as-prepared device exhibits a typical nonvolatile write-once-read-many- times storage effect, and shows multistate resistive switching behavior, and there are obvious distinctions between different resistance states. The resistance in low resistance state (LRS) and high resistance state (HRS) dependence on temperature is tested, and the resistance of LRS and HRS show metal and semiconductor characteristics, respectively. As well as, the resistance in HRS shows evident dependence on cell size. Hence, the resistive switching mechanism was attributed to the broken processes of carbon-rich conducting filament. Furthermore, conductance quantization during resistive switching processes was analyzed. This work might make it attractive for exploiting high density data storage.

Introduction

Memory devices based on the resistive switching behavior have drawn a lot of attentions in the fields of computing applications [[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9]], mainly is under consideration that it can substitute conventional flash memory and dynamic random access memory, due to this memory type makes a feature of fast switching speeds, forceful endurance and long retention [10,11]. The resistive switching behaviors have been reported in sandwich construction with a variety of materials, including inorganic materials [[12], [13], [14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22]] and organic materials [23]. In view of the wonderful resistive switching characteristics took on by some organic materials, organic devices are be identified as one of the best candidates for future nonvolatile memory technique [Error! Bookmark not defined.]. Organic memory device is on the strength of low cost polymer films fabricated by simple solution processing through spin coating or dip coating technology [24]. The preparation procedure is a simple crossbar construction, which is free from the need to use transistors [Error! Bookmark not defined.]. Among the emerging memories, resistance random access memory (RRAM) is regarded as to be a potential candidate for future memory devices on account of its excellent scalability and favourable compatibility with integrated IC technology [Error! Bookmark not defined.]. For the past few years, many scholars began to have a strong interest in research the multistate resistive switching RRAM devices and their complicated resistive switching process. These open up novelty application field mainly on synaptic emulation for neuromorphic computing to link electronics with human brain functions [25].

Multistate resistive switching provides a fresh opportunity to memory more than 2 bits in a single cell, as a consequence, could achieve high density data srorage with minimum downscaling. As a result, investigation devoted to the possibility of achieving multistate resistive switching memory has sparked immense interest. On the other hand, polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), due to its excellent physical, biological and mechanical properties, has attracted more and more attention due to a desire to develop materials for applications in polymer-based memory devices [[26], [27], [28]]. Furthermore [6,6],-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) containing hybrid films were widely used as the active layer in memory devices due to its good solubility and high electron mobility [29].

Multistate data storage could store more than two bits in a cell; this characteristic could be developed to availably improve the density of data storage [30]. Howerve, the multistate resistive switching has been reported in many oxide materials, there are only few literatures reporting multistate resistive switching with organic materials [31]. In this work, a multistage resistive switching process based on organic coating films was demonstrated, it presents a representative nonvolatile write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory effect, and makes character of multistate data storage, long retention time (1 × 105 s), and great potential in high density archive data storage.

Section snippets

Experimental details

Glass substrates were obtained from Luoyang guluo glass co., LTD. Both PCBM and PVP were purchased from sigma-aldrich. Glass substrates were ultrasonic subsequently cleaned in acetone, methyl alcohol, and deionized water with a period of 30 min, respectively. The composites of PCBM and PVP (mass ratio of 4:5) were dissolved in mixed solvents of 1:1 (volume ratio) dichlorobenzene and ethanol with the concentration of solution was 20 mg/ml. The composite solutions were spin coated on glass

Result and discussion

Fig. 1(a) exhibits the applied organic semiconductor materials of PCBM and PVP in this work. Fig. 1(b) depicts the crossbar array architecture. The cross-sectional scanning electron microscopy (SEM) graph before the top electrode was deposited also exhibits the device structure and the 145 nm thick composite active layer as shown in Fig. 1(c).

Fig. 2(a) exhibits the I-V curves of the device. It can be seen from the I-V curves that the initial state of the device is low resistance state (LRS).

Conclusion

In conclusion, sandwich structure memory devices were prepared by spin-coating process with the composite active layer composed of PCBM and PVP. The Al/PCBM + PVP/Al devices feature multistate resistive switching behavior, nonvolatile write-once- read-many-times (WORM) storage effect, long retention time (1 × 105 s), and quantized conductance phenomena. The resistive switching mechanism was analyzed based on the temperature dependence of resistance in LRS and HRS of the device and electrode

CRediT authorship contribution statement

Yanmei Sun: Conceptualization, Data curation, Visualization, Writing - original draft, Funding acquisition. Dianzhong Wen: Supervision, Project administration.

Acknowledgements

Funding received from, Natural Science Foundation of Heilongjiang Province, China (LH2019F029) and the Basic Research Project of the Basic Research Business of the Provincial University in Heilongjiang Province (RCCX201702).

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