Nonvolatile organic bistable devices fabricated utilizing Cu2O nanocrystals embedded in a polyimide layer

The bistable effects of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles embedded in a polyimide (PI) matrix were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy images and selected area electron diffraction patterns showed that Cu2O nanocrystals were formed inside the PI layer. Current-voltage (I-V) measurements on Al/PI/nanocrystalline Cu2O/PI/Al structures at 300 K showed a nonvolatile electrical bistability behavior. A bistable behavior for the fabricated organic bistable device (OBD) structures is described on the basis of the I-V results. These results indicate that OBDs fabricated utilizing self-assembled inorganic Cu2O nanocrystals embedded in an organic PI layer hold promise for potential applications in nonvolatile flash memory devices. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.