Rational Design of Small Molecules to Implement Organic Quaternary Memory Devices

Abstract

Organic small-molecule-based devices with multilevel electroresistive memory behaviors have attracted more and more attentions due to their super-high data-storage density. However, up to now, only ternary memory molecules have been reported, and ternary storage devices may not be compatible with the binary computing systems perfectly. In this work, a donor-acceptor structured molecule containing three electron acceptors is rationally designed and the field-induced charge-transfer processes can occur from the donors. Organic quaternary memory devices based on this molecule are successfully demonstrated for the first time. The switching threshold voltages of the memory device are -2.04, -2.73, and -3.96 V, and the current ratio of the "0," "1," "2," and "3" states is 1:101.78:103.47:105.36, which indicate a low possibility of read and write errors. The results represent a further step in organic high-density data-storage devices and will inspire the further study in this field.