Physics of organic ferroelectric field‐effect transistors

Most of the envisaged applications of organic electronics require a nonvolatile memory that can be programmed, erased, and read electrically. Ferroelectric field‐effect transistors (FeFET) are especially suitable due to the nondestructive read‐out and low power consumption. Here, an analytical model is presented that describes the charge transport in organic FeFETs. The model combines an empirical expression for the ferroelectric polarization with a density dependent hopping charge transport in organic semiconductors. Transfer curves can be calculated with parameters that are directly linked to the physical properties of both the comprising ferroelectric and semiconductor materials. A unipolar FeFET switches between a polarized and depolarized state, and an ambipolar FeFET switches between two stable polarized states. A good agreement between experimental and calculated current is obtained. The method is generic; any other analytical model for the polarization and charge transport can be easily implemented and can be used to identify the origin of the different transconductances reported in the literature. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2011     

A Comparative Study of Pyrolysis Liquids by Slow Pyrolysis of Industrial Hemp Leaves,Hurds and Roots

This study assessed the pyrolysis liquids obtained by slow pyrolysis of industrial hemp leaves, hurds, and roots. The liquids recovered between a pyrolysis temperature of 275–350 °C, at two condensation temperatures 130 °C and 70 °C, were analyzed. Aqueous and bio-oil pyrolysis liquids were produced and analyzed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and atmospheric pressure photoionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (APPI FT-ICR MS). NMR revealed quantitative concentrations of the most abundant compounds in the aqueous fractions and compound groups in the oily fractions. In the aqueous fractions, the concentration range of acetic acid was 50–241 gL⁻¹, methanol 2–30 gL⁻¹, propanoic acid 5–20 gL⁻¹, and 1-hydroxybutan-2-one 2 gL⁻¹. GC-MS was used to compare the compositions of the volatile compounds and APPI FT-ICR MS was utilized to determine the most abundant higher molecular weight compounds. The different obtained pyrolysis liquids (aqueous and oily) had various volatile and nonvolatile compounds such as acetic acid, 2,6-dimethoxyphenol, 2-methoxyphenol, and cannabidiol. This study provides a detailed understanding of the chemical composition of pyrolysis liquids from different parts of the industrial hemp plant and assesses their possible economic potential.     

Low voltage program-erasable Pd-Al_2O_3-Si capacitors with Ru nanocrystals for nonvolatile memory application

Pd-Al2O3-Si capacitors with Ru nanocrystals are fabricated and electrically characterized for nonvolatile memory application.While keeping the entire insulator Al2O3thickness fixed,the memory window has a strong dependence on the tunneling layer thickness under low operating voltages,whereas it has weak dependence under high operating voltages.As for the optimal configuration comprised of 6-nm tunneling layer and 22-nm blocking layer,the resulting memory window increases from 1.5 V to 5.3 V with bias pulse increasing from 10 5s to 10 2s under±7 V.A ten-year memory window as large as 5.2 V is extrapolated at room temperature after±8 V/1 ms programming/erasing pulses.     

Nonvolatile photorefractive properties in triply doped stoichiometric Mg：Fe：Mn：LiTaO3 crystals

We have grown triply doped Mg:Fe:Mn:LiTaO3 crystals with near stoichiometry using the top seeded solution growth technique. The defect structure was investigated by infrared absorption spectra and Curie temperature. Using a blue laser as the source, excellent photorefractive properties were obtained. Nonvolatile holographic storage properties were investigated using the dual wavelength technique. We got a very high fixed diffraction efficiency and nonvolatile holographic storage sensitivity. The blue light has more than enough energy to excite holes of deep(Mn) and shallow(Fe) trap centers with the same phase, which enhance dramatically the blue photorefractive properties and the nonvolatile holographic storage. Mg2+ ion is no longer damage resistant at blue laser, but enhances photorefractive characteristics.     

Novel material for nonvolatile ovonic unified memory (OUM)－Ag11In12Te26Sb51 phase change semiconductor

In this paper, Ag_{11}In_{12}Te_{26}Sb_{51} phase change semiconductor films have been prepared by dc sputtering. The crystallization behaviour of amorphous Ag_{11}In_{12}Te_{26}Sb_{51} thin films was investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry and x-ray diffraction. It was found that the crystallization temperature is about 483K and the melting temperature is 754.8K and the activation energy for crystallization, E_a, is 2.07eV. The crystalline Ag_{11}In_{12}Te_{26}Sb_{51} films were obtained using initializer. The initialization conditions have a great effect on the sheet resistance of Ag_{11}In_{12}Te_{26}Sb_{51} films. We found that the effect of the initialization condition on the sheet resistance can be ascribed to the crystallinity of Ag_{11}In_{12}Te_{26}Sb_{51} films. The sheet resistance of the amorphous (R_{amo}) film is found to be larger than 1×10^6Ω and that of the crystalline (R_{cry}) film lies in the range from about 10^3 to 10^4Ω. So we have the ratio R_{amo}/R_{cry}=10^2～10^3, which is sufficiently large for application in memory devices.     

Synthesis of polyimides containing triphenylamine‐substituted triazole moieties for polymer memory applications

A series of thermally stable aromatic polyimides containing triphenylamine‐substituted triazole moieties ( AZTA‐PI )s were prepared and characterized. The glass transition temperatures (T_g) of the polyimides were found to be in the range of 262–314 °C. The polyimides obtained by chemical imidization had inherent viscosities of 0.25–0.44 dL g^?1 in N‐methyl‐2‐pyrrolidinone. The number average molecular weights (M_n) and weight average molecular weights (M_w) were 1.9–3.2 × 10⁴ and 3.2–5.6 × 10⁴, respectively, and the polydispersity indices (PDI = M_w/M_n) were in the range of 1.70–1.78. A resistive switching device was constructed from the 4,4′‐hexafluoroisopropylidenediphthalic dianhydride‐based soluble polyimide ( AZTA‐PIa ) in a sandwich structure of indium‐tin oxide/polymer/Al. The as‐fabricated device can be switched from the initial low‐conductivity (OFF) state to the high‐conductivity (ON) state at a switching threshold voltage of 2.5 V under either positive or negative electrical sweep, with an ON/OFF state current ratio in the order of 10⁵ at ?1 V. The device is able to remain in the ON state even after turning off the power or under a reverse bias. The nonvolatile and nonrewritable natures of the ON state indicate that the device is a write‐once read‐many times (WORM) memory. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2010     

Nonvolatile holographic storage in triply doped LiNbO3: Hf, Fe, Mn crystals

It has been suggested to use LiNbO3:Fe,Mn crystal for solving the problem of information volatility during the read-out process with all-optical facilities,but the minute order response time is far from the requirements for the real-time information processing.We present the nonvolatile holographic storage properties of LiNbO3:Hf,Fe,Mn.The response time is shortened to 5.0 s,and the sensitivity S is enhanced to 0.22 cm/J in this triply doped crystal.The experimental results show that the HfO2 doping threshold is 5.0 mol.%.Thus it seems that we have found a useful tetravalent dopant for LiNbO3:Fe,Mn that can obviously improve the nonvolatile holographic recording sensitivity.     

Resistive switching behaviour of a tantalum oxide nanolayer fabricated by plasma oxidation

We investigate the resistive switching behaviour of a tantalum oxide nanolayer‐based nonvolatile memory with Pt/TaO_5–x/TaN structure, which was prepared at room temperature through a processing compatible with CMOS technology. The tantalum oxide nanolayer with thickness of about 5 nm was fabricated by plasma oxidation of TaN films. The switching mechanism can be explained by the modulation of the local oxygen‐deficient conduction channel resulting from oxygen ions drift. This Letter represents a cost‐efficient method for developing nanoscale restive switching nonvolatile memories. (© 2013 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Thermal Decomposition Behavior of Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) with Different Hydroxyl Content

The thermal decomposition behavior of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) with two different hydroxyl contents, 88 and 99%, was investigated. UV-Vis spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and TGA-FTIR were used to detect the volatile and nonvolatile products of the thermal decomposition of PVA. The results suggest that the PVA, after thermal treatment, can form chromophoric polyene structure, as well as carbonyl groups. The PVA with 88% hydroxyl content underwent slower decomposition below 280°C and generated water and carboxyl acid as the dominant volatile products, however, as for the PVA with 99% hydroxyl content, the dominant volatile products were water, unsaturated aldehydes, and other unsaturated compounds.     

Electrical bistability of organic devices with a polymeric thin film for nonvolatile data storage

In this study, organic memory devices with a single active layer between the two external electrodes were fabricated using an electron‐donor type conjugated polymer and an electron‐acceptor type small organic molecule. The active layer of the memory device was prepared by blending polystyrene, poly[10‐(2′‐ethylhexyl)phenothiazine‐3,7‐diyl], and tetracyanoquinodimethane in 1,2‐dichlorobenzene. The device initially showed a low‐conductance state (OFF state) in the low‐voltage range, and an abrupt current increase, corresponding to the transition to a high‐conductance state (ON state), occurred at a certain voltage (V_th). The ON state could be reverted to the OFF state by applying a voltage higher than V_th. The current ratio between the two states was about 10³ (up to 10⁵). After this transition, the device remained in the ON state even after the applied voltage was removed, and this indicated the nonvolatile characteristics of the device. There was no sharp current degradation in the OFF or ON states for 4500 s of continuous bias. The device‐to‐device performance fluctuation was measured, and the conduction mechanisms in the ON and OFF states were examined by fitting the data to well‐known theoretical models. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem, 2012