Resistance Controllability in Alkynylgold(III) Complex-Based Resistive Memory for Flash-Type Storage Applications

Owing to the demands of state-of-the-art information technologies that are suitable for vast data storage, the necessity for organic memory device (OMD) materials is highlighted. However, OMDs based on metal complexes are limited to several types of transition-metal complex systems containing nitrogen-donor ligands. Herein, attempts are made to introduce novel alkynylgold(III) materials into memory devices with superior performance. In this respect, an alkynyl-containing coumarin gold(III) complex, [(C₁₉ N₅ H₁₁ )Au-C≡C-C₉ H₅ O], has been synthesized and integrated into a sandwiched Al/[(C₁₉ N₅ H₁₁ )Au-C≡C-C₉ H₅ O]/indium tin oxide device. By precisely controlling the compliance current (I_cc ), the devices show different switching characteristics from flash-type binary resistance switching (I_cc ≤10^-3  A) to WORM-type (WORM=write once read many times) ternary resistance switching (I_cc =10^-2  A). This work explores electrical gold(III) complex based memories for potential use in organic electronics.