Memory-switching phenomenon in acceptor-rich organic molecules: Impedance spectroscopic studies

We have studied memory-switching phenomena in terms of impedance spectroscopy in a series of xanthene-class fluorescein molecules. Frequency response studies have revealed that the electronic conduction mechanism was largely tuned by increasing the number of acceptor groups attached to the molecular backbone. In molecules with weak intermolecular interactions, the transition between a low- and a high-conducting state has been associated with a change in bulk resistance and dielectric properties. The devices in the two states remained a parallel combination of a resistor and a capacitor (C-p-R-p) network. In devices based on Rose Bengal, which exhibits a strong dipole-dipole interaction due to its acceptor groups, the switching between the states has been modeled as a transition between a C-p-R-p network in the off-state and a distributed resistor-capacitor (R-C) line network in the on-state. Instead of isolated clusters, a highly coupled network of reduced Rose Bengal molecules with strong dipole-dipole interaction yielded the high-conducting state. Under a "write-read-erase-read" sequence, the device switched between the two networks reversibly for many cycles.