Transferable and flexible resistive switching memory devices based on PMMA films with embedded Fe3O4 nanoparticles

We demonstrated transferable and flexible resistive switching (RS) memory devices using a nondestructive water-dissolution method. To satisfy future demands, the free-standing Al/Fe3O4-PMMA/Al devices were transferred onto various nonconventional substrates to demonstrate various features, such as flexibility, 3-D conformality, and biocompatibility. Thanks to the strong van der Waals interaction, the devices can easily conform to these substrates and normally display RS behavior even after undergoing bending tests. In particular, the memory devices with the PET substrate present excellent memory performance as well as high flexibility, including fast switching speed (<50 ns), large R-OFF/R-ON ratio (similar to 4 x 10(5)), and long retention time (>10(4) s). No performance degradation occurs after bending the device to different angles and up to 10(4) times. The RS mechanism can be attributed to the trapping/de-trapping of electrons at the sites of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. This result provides a feasible approach to achieve transferable RS memory device for future conformal and flexible electronics. Published by AIP Publishing.