Resistive memory effect in self-assembled 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane molecular multilayers

We have observed a pronounced resistive memory effect with an on/off ratio of similar to 2 in 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane (APTMS) molecular multilayers trapped with NW, ions. The APTMS nuiltilayers were deposited on SiO2/Si(p(++)) substrates using a self-assembly process and characterized using various techniques, such as water contact angle, elliposmetery, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and atomic force microscopy. The current-voltage characteristics of Hg/APTMS multilayer/Si(p(++)) devices, in the negative bias region, exhibited a reproducible hysteresis effect along with a negative differential resistance. A plausible explanation of the observed hysteresis in terms of filling and defilling of the positive ion traps is proposed. (C) 2008 WILEY.VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.