UNIT 4

Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

Memory Devices: Introduction, concept of electronic memory. Classification of electronic

memory devices (organic molecules, polymeric materials, organic-inorganic hybrid
materials – mention two examples each)

MEMORY DEVICES
➢ Memory device is an electroninc circuit or device that is capable of storing
information temporaririly or permanently
➢ It is a piece of hardware used to store data, like a chip
➢ It is just like the human brain; human memory is the faculty which enables
information storage and recall it when required. Our memories can store
information from all our senses; we can visualise past images. remember smells,
imagine noises
➢ But an electronic memory is only capable of storing either a high or low voltage
level

❖ Electronic memories fall into two categories: Volatile and Non-volatile memory
▪ Volatile memory
- This type of memory requires continuous power to enable it to retain
information
- If the power is removed, the 'state of the memory' will be lost
- RAM (Random Access Memory) is in the volatile category

▪ Non-volatile memory
- This type of memory is not dependent upon continuous power to enable
it to retain information
- ROM (Read Only Memory) is non-volatile memory; other examples
include punched card, magnetic tape, magnetic disc, magnetic drum and
magnetic core

❖ Electronic memory is also classified as;

▪ Primary memory
- It is also known as the main memory of the computer system
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

- It is used to store data and programs or instructions during computer

operations
- It uses semiconductor technology and hence is commonly called
semiconductor memory.
- Examples: RAM, ROM

▪ Secondary memory
- It is either magnetic, optical or flash memory
- It is not accessible by processor or computer
- It allows user to store data that can be accessed, transmitted and used
by apps
- Examples: CD, USB

Basic concept of Electronic memory

- An electronic memory device is a form of semiconductor storage which is fast
in response and compact in size
- A semiconductor storage system can be read and written when coupled with a
central processing unit (CPU)
- The basic goal of a memory device is to provide a means for storing and
accessing binary digital data sequences of “1’s” and “0’s. Therefore, individual
memory cells, must possess at least two stable states
- The two states must be switched by an external stimulus. This is called as the
writing process
- The states must be distinguished by applying a further external signal. This called
as the reading process
- Electronic memory device consists of two electrodes and switching layer
between two electrodes
- The layer is operated from High Resistance State (HRS) to Low Resistance State
(LRS) under an external electric voltage
- The HRS can be regarded as “0” bit in data storage (OFF)
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

- The switching from HRS to the Low Resistance State (LRS) is equivalent to “0”
to “1” binary conversion (ON)
- If a single material (used in making memory device) provides more than two
resistance states (bistable), the storage capacity of a single memory increases
exponentially
- In conventional silicon-based electronic memory, data are stored based on the
amount of charge stored in the memory cells. “Higher the charges available,
greater would be the data storage”.

- The modern organic/polymer electronic memory works based on different

electrical conductivity states (ON and OFF states) in response to an applied
electric field
- The memory devices should exhibit,
➢ High storage capacity
➢ Fast data transfer rate
➢ Short access time
➢ Low power consumption
➢ Neuromorphic computing (use of artificial neurons)

Classification of electronic memory devices

According to the device structure, electronic memory devices can be divided
into four types;
I. Transistor-type
II. Capacitor-type
III. Resistor-type and
IV. Charge transfer type

I. TRANSISTOR-TYPE
- A transistor is a miniature semiconductor
- It regulates current/voltage, amplifying the electrical signals and acting as a
switch/gate for them
- Transistor consists of three layers of p-type and n-type semiconductor
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

- A memory chip consists of billions of transistors, which store data based on two
conductivity states
- The low conductivity state and high conductivity state are assigned the “0” and
“1” or “ON” and “OFF” respectively. Thus, each transistor works as a switch
- Transistor made from silicon or metal oxides store data based on charge; it
consists of a minute and complicated electronic circuit
- Whereas, organic transistor memory device stores based on two conductivity
states; the device structure can be simplified and fabricated in simple steps

II. CAPACITOR-TYPE
- Capacitor stores data in the form of electrical energy (electric charges)
- It consists of two conducting plates in close proximity, placed in parallel to one
another

- Positive charges are deposited on one of the conductors and an equal amount
of negative charges is deposited on the another conductor forming bistable state
- Organic and polymeric ferroelectric materials (spontaneous electric polarization)
are used in capacitor type electronic memory device
- The permanent electric polarization can be repeatedly switched between two
stable states (bistable) by an external electric field

III. RESISTOR-TYPE
- A resistor is a passive electrical component that implements electrical resistance
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

- The main purpose of resistor is to reduce the current flow and to lower the
voltage in circuit
- These memory devices have a simple structure, having a metal-insulator-metal
structure, generally referred to as MIM structure

- The structure comprises of an insulating layer (I) sandwiched between the two
metal (M) electrodes and supported on a substrate (glass, silicon wafer, plastic
or metal foil).
- Initially, the device is under high resistance state or “OFF” (“0” state), when
resistance changed i.e under external applied field, changes to low resistance state
or “ON” logical value “1”.

IV. CHARGE-TRANSFER TYPE (CT type)

- This type of memory device works based on transfer of charge/electron from
one atom/molecule to another
- Hence, one part of the complex should have free electrons or tendency to lose
electrons called ‘electron donor’ and the other part must have affinity for the
electrons called ‘electron acceptor’
- Therefore, it is also called Donor-Acceptor (D-A) type complex
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

(Diagram is important, should be drawn while explaining CT type)

- The conductivity of a CT complex is dependent on the ionic binding between

the D-A components.
- In CT complex partial transfer of charges occurs from donor part to the acceptor
part. This results in difference in conductivity resulting in bistable states
- This behaviour is used to design molecular electronic devices
- Examples: Organometallic complexes, carbon allotropes (fullerene, carbon
nanotubes and graphene) based polymer complexes, gold nanoparticle- polymer
complexes and single polymers with intra-molecular D-A structures are used for
memory applications.

TYPES OF MEMORY MATERIALS

There are three classes of materials which can exhibit bistable states and are used in
organic memory devices. They are,
1. Organic molecules
2. Polymeric materials
3. Organic-Inorganic hybrid materials
The advantages of organic and polymer memory materials include;
Good processability
Molecular design through chemical synthesis
Simple device structure
Miniaturized dimensions
Low-cost
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

Low-power operation
Multiple state properties and
Large capacity for data storage

1. Organic molecules
- There is a category of organic molecules which exhibit bistable or multistable
states when external field is applies
- When a threshold voltage is applied, they undergo a transition from ON to OFF
state or from OFF to ON state
Examples:
(i) Acene derivatives:
- Acenes are polycyclic aromatic compounds consisting of linearly fused benzene
rings;
- They possess high charge carrier mobility
Examples: Pentacene, perfluoropentacene, naphthalene, anthracene.

Pentacene Perfluoropentacene

- Pentacene and Perfluoropentacene both have similar structure and crystal

packing
- But Pentacene behaves as p-type semiconductor and latter behaves as a n-type
semiconductor. Therefore, these molecules together exhibit charge-transfer
process that are useful for memory applications

(ii) Charge transfer complexes:

- These molecules have two parts, electron donor and electron acceptor
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

Example: Zinc(II)phthalocyanine complex - In this molecule, zinc metal is acceptor

and organic molecule phthalocyanine is the donor

2. Polymeric molecules
- The characteristic of polymer memory molecules is low-cost and high-
performance
- They have the potential for 3D stacking and mechanical adaptability
Examples:
(i) Polyimides - Most commonly used polymeric materials for organic electrical
memory applications
- They exhibit high thermal stability and mechanical strength
- They exhibit two stable charged states under applied electric field due to Donor-
Acceptor structure
Example: Phthalimide acts as the electron acceptor & triphenylamine acts as an
electron donor

(ii) Conjugated polymers - They are rich in pi electrons and can be made to show
charge states by incorporating electron acceptor groups in their back bone.
Example: poly (ethylene-2,6-naphthalate) in flash devices

(iii) A polymer known as (PEDOT) is vital plastic used to store the digital data in
gigabyte and be adequately modest to rival CDs and DVDs.

(iv) Shape memory polymers (Ex: polyvinylchloride, polyurethanes) can react to

temperature, light, pH and moisture, there are several exciting possibilities for
these elements in fabrics. These include relaxation, aesthetics, wound
monitoring, security against environmental conditions, quick controlled drug
relief, and more
 UNIT 4
Chemistry of materials for memory and Display systems

3) Organic-Inorganic hybrid materials

- They are composed of organic layers containing inorganic materials
- Inorganic materials used are allotropes of carbon like fullerenes, carbon
nanotubes, graphene and metal nanoparticles, semiconductor nanoparticles and
inorganic quantum dots (QDs)
(i) Organic–Carbon allotrope hybrid materials
- Polymers containing electron donors such as thiophene, fluorine, carbazole and
aniline derivatives can be combined with fullerenes to obtain a charge transfer
hybrid material
- This material will have donor-acceptor ability and electrical bistable states.
- Fullerenes exhibit high electron-withdrawing ability and can capture up to six
electrons. They are used in warm memory effect devices.

(ii) Organic-Inorganic Nanocomposites

- These are hybrid electronic memory devices in which organic polymer with
appropriate functional group is clubbed with metal nanoparticles, quantum dots
and metal oxide nanoparticles.
Example: Composite of 8-hydroxyquinoline containing polymer with gold
nanoparticles sandwiched between two metal electrodes. Bistable electronic
transition states are observed when electric field is applied due to charge transfer
between Au nanoparticles and 8-hydroxyquinoline.