High Performance Nonvolatile Transistor Memories Utilizing Functional Polyimide-Based Supramolecular Electrets

We report pentacene-based organic field-effect transistor memory devices utilizing supramolecular electrets, consisting of a polyimide, PI(6FOH-ODPA), containing hydroxyl groups for hydrogen bonding with amine functionalized aromatic rings (AM) of 1-aniline (AM1), 2-naphthylamine (AM2), 2-aminoanthracene (AM3), and 1-aminopyrene (AM4). The effect of the phenyl ring size and composition of AM1-AM4 on the hole-trapping capability of the fabricated devices was investigated systematically. Under an operating voltage under ±40 V, the prepared devices using the electrets of 100 % AM1-AM4/PI ratios exhibited a memory window of 0, 8.59, 25.97, and 29.95 V, respectively, suggesting that the hole-trapping capability increased with enhancing phenyl ring size. The memory window was enhanced as the amount of AM in PI increased. Furthermore, the devices showed a long charge-retention time of 10(4)  s with an ON/OFF current ratio of around 10(3) -10(4) and multiple switching stability over 100 cycles. This study demonstrated that the electrical characteristics of the OFET memory devices could be manipulated through the chemical compositions of the supramolecular electrets.