Photoresponsive Dithienylethene-Containing Tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum(III) Complexes with Photocontrollable...

The rational design of a new class of photoresponsive tris(8-hydroxyquinolinato)aluminum(III) (Alq₃) complexes has been developed. By incorporating the photochromic dithienylethene units with different peripheral heterocycles into the Alq₃ framework, the photochromic properties as well as photoswitching efficiency can be readily modulated, through effective photocyclization of the Al(III) complex. Such intrinsic photochromic behavior leads to the unprecedented enhancement in the electron-transporting properties as demonstrated by the as-fabricated electron-only device, rendering the realization of photoswitchable electron mobility. In addition, one of these complexes is capable of serving as an active layer for solution-processable resistive memory devices. Photocontrollable memory performance has been achieved with a binary memory behavior, with high ON/OFF ratio and long retention time. This work represents not only the first example of photoresponsive Alq₃-based electron-transporting materials but also the solution-processable Alq₃-based optical and resistive memory devices with photocontrollable performance.