Synergistic Control of Ferroelectric and Optical Properties in Molecular Ferroelectric for Multiplexing Nonvolatile...

Utilizing the correlation among diverse physical properties to facilitate multiplexing and multistate memory is anticipated to emerge as an efficient strategy to enhance memory capacity, achieve device miniaturization, and ensure information security. As an important functional material, ferroelectrics have long been considered as a potential candidate in multistate memory devices. Furthermore, the integration of optical response offers an alternative path to realizing multiplexing features, further enhancing the versatility and efficiency of these devices. However, combining ferroelectricity and optical activity is always challenging because ferroelectricity is very sensitive to the crystal structure. In this study, on the correlation between ferroelectric polarization (FP) and optical properties in molecular ferroelectric material, trimethylchloromethyl ammonium trichloromanganese (TMCM-MnCl₃) is reported. This research demonstrated that the FP can modulate the photoluminescence (PL) emission, while optical illumination can trigger FP reversal. Based on these, both electric-writing optical-reading (EWOR) and optical-writing electrical-reading (OWER) modes have been conclusively established, and the seamless transition between these two modes can be achieved by adjusting the excitation light intensity. These findings reveal an intriguing physical interconnection and imply the viability of implementing multiplexing and multistate memory functionalities in systems based on ferroelectrics.