Transistor memory devices with large memory windows, using multi-stacking of densely packed, hydrophobic charge trapping metal nanoparticle array

Abstract

Organic field-effect transistor (OFET) memories have rapidly evolved from low-cost and flexible electronics with relatively low-memory capacities to memory devices that require high-capacity memory such as smart memory cards or solid-state hard drives. Here, we report the high-capacity OFET memories based on the multilayer stacking of densely packed hydrophobic metal NP layers in place of the traditional transistor memory systems based on a single charge trapping layer. We demonstrated that the memory performances of devices could be significantly enhanced by controlling the adsorption isotherm behavior, multilayer stacking structure and hydrophobicity of the metal NPs. For this study, tetraoctylammonium (TOA)-stabilized Au nanoparticles (TOA-AuNPs) were consecutively layer-by-layer (LbL) assembled with an amine-functionalized poly(amidoamine) dendrimer (PAD). The formed (PAD/TOA-AuNP)n films were used as a multilayer stacked charge trapping layer at the interface between the tunneling dielectric layer and the SiO2 gate dielectric layer. For a single AuNP layer (i.e. PAD/TOA-AuNP)1) with a number density of 1.82 × 1012 cm−2, the memory window of the OFET memory device was measured to be approximately 97 V. The multilayer stacked OFET memory devices prepared with four AuNP layers exhibited excellent programmable memory properties (i.e. a large memory window (ΔVth) exceeding 145 V, a fast switching speed (1 μs), a high program/erase (P/E) current ratio (greater than 106) and good electrical reliability) during writing and erasing over a relatively short time scale under an operation voltage of 100 V applied at the gate.