Ultrathin Single-Layer Flash Memristors from Organic Polymers

Tech ID: W-17-013

Background

There has been significant interest in memory devices with “flash” properties suitable to retain information without any external power source but capable of satisfying the thinness requirements of next-generation electronics. Most electronic systems require non-volatile memory components for data storage and to date, the most common non-volatile memory components used in information and communication technology are devices that are writable once and readable multiple times. Flash memories that are writable, readable and erasable multiple times are more attractive because they can be reused, but suffer from limited margins of improvement and high fabrication costs. Organic memristors, memory devices based on organic thin films with multistable resistivity characteristics, are being explored as possible substitutes. They have the advantage of low fabrication costs and can be processed from organic compounds from both solution and vacuum deposition.

Tech Overview

Researchers at Western University have developed organic memristors, memory devices based on organic thin films with multistable resistivity characteristics, that are being explored as possible substitutes for volatile, WORM and flash inorganic memory devices. The researchers have developed single-layer organic flash memristors with active layer of very thin (10 nm) poly-[1,5-di-isopropyl-3-(cis-5-norbornene-exo-2,3-dicarboxiimide)-6-ox- overdazyl] by spin coating a solution phase of this polyradical. More recently the researchers have developed a new method of deposition that enables an all-in-one step from the monomer, the synthesis of radical polymers with ambipolar redox properties, and their thin films and devices, on a variety of rigid and flexible substrates ( Figure 1 a,b ). with a thinness of 28 nm. Different from wet chemistry, the more recent method of deposition is solvent-free and, thus, more environmentally friendly. The memristors reported can be cycled and offer on/off current ratios up to 400.

Further Details

Ezugwu, S.; Paquette, J. A.; Yadav, V.; Gilroy, J. B.; Fanchini, G. Design Criteria for Ultrathin Single-Layer Flash Memristors from an Organic Polyradical. Advanced Electronic Materials 2016, 2 (11), 1600253.
Singh, D.; Park, J.; Magnan, F.; Bazylewski, P.; Gilroy, J. B.; Fanchini, G. All-In-One Step from a Radical Monomer: Vacuum Synthesis of Electroswitchable Radical Polymer Thin Films by Solvent-Free Surface Polymerization.
Chemistry of Materials 2022, 34 (11), 4876–4883.

Benefits

• Single-layer organic flash memristors with active layer thickness down to 10 nm.
• Three tunable and switchable charge states (positive, neutral and negative) of the polyradical.
• Compatible with a variety of different rigid and flexible substrates.
• Can be applied by both spin coating a solution of polyradical and vacuum polyradical deposition on the substrates.

Applications

This technology has commercial application in the following fields:

Memory Devices: As organic thin films organic flash memristors with an active layer of polyradical.

Opportunity

• Licensing Partnerships
• Collaborative Research

Patents

United States Issued Patent # 10,538,618

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