Nonvolatile memory effect of a functional polyimide containing ferrocene as the electroactive moiety

A functional polyimide, hexafluoroisopropyl bis(phthalic dianhydride)/4-(bis(4-aminophenyl) methyl) phenol grafted with ferrocene, was synthesized. Electrical characterization results indicate that the sandwiched devices using our synthesized polyimide as the active layer possess electrical bistability and exhibit nonvolatile memory behavior with an ON/OFF current ratio of about 10(3). Molecular orbitals and electronic properties are investigated by molecular simulation and cyclic voltammetry characterization. The charge transfer mechanisms in the OFF and ON states of the memory device were reasonably interpreted by using the thermionic emission and space-charge-limited-current model, respectively. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi: 10.1063/1.3592575]