Fluorinated benzimidazole-based conjugated polymers for ternary memory devices

Abstract

The application of fluorinated materials in optoelectronic devices has been extensively studied, yet their potential in polymer-based memory devices still needs to be explored. The strategic manipulation of electron donors and electron acceptors to enhance the electron properties of material represents a valid approach to advancing data storage performance. The acceptor unit plays a crucial role in charge trapping, by fluorinating acceptor unit, the polymer electron affinity can be further modulated, leading to optimized carrier injection. In this work, we have synthesized three donor-acceptor-type (D-A-type) conjugated polymers, employing benzimidazole-isoindole electron acceptors substituted with different numbers of fluorine atoms. These polymers were utilized as active layers and integrated into indium-tin-oxide/active layer/aluminum devices through a straightforward fabrication process. These devices exhibit excellent ternary non-volatile memory performance and demonstrate sustained stability even after 103 cycle numbers. Notably, the PM4Fbzo-based device achieves impressively low threshold voltages of −0.55 V and −0.80 V, accompanied by a switching current ratio surpassing 104. These exceptional outcomes show the tremendous potential of fluorinated benzimidazole-isoindole-based materials for ternary storage applications, showcasing them as one of the promising candidates for the next generation of materials.