Utilization of conformation change and charge trapping to achieve binary/ternary rewritable memory performance of carbazole-based organic molecules

To better understand the relationship between the molecular structure and memory characteristics, two carbazole-based organic compounds (Cz-2Ph3F 6FDA and Cz-2TPA 6FDA) with different ratios of electron-donating and electron-withdrawing units were designed and synthesized. An ITO/Cz-2Ph3F 6FDA/Al device was fabricated and presented binary rewritable memory behavior, whereas the as-fabricated ITO/Cz-2TPA 6FDA/Al device exhibited ternary rewritable memory behavior. The electrical conduction behaviors of memory devices were analyzed through theoretical models and experimental data. The molecular simulation indicated that the electrical switching behaviors could be caused by field-induced charge transfer in combination with a conformation change and charge traps. This study provide a practicable strategy to acquired organic molecules with high-performance memory characteristics.