Newly Found Digital Memory Characteristics of Pyrrolidone‐ and Succinimide‐Based Polymers

• Published in: Macromolecular rapid communications. 2021-07, Vol.42 (14), p.e2100186-n/a
• Main Authors: Ryu, Wonyeong, Xiang, Li, Jin, Kyeong Sik, Kim, Hyun‐Joong, Kim, Hong‐Chul, Ree, Moonhor
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cognitive ability; electroactive pyrrolidone moiety; electroactive succinimide moiety; Energy levels; Film thickness; Hopping conduction; hopping conduction process; Magnetism; Maleic anhydride; Memory devices; Molecular orbitals; nonvolatile digital memory; Polymers; Polyvinylpyrrolidone; p‐type resistive memory; Succinimide; switching mechanisms; Thermal stability; volatile digital memory
• ISSN: 1022-1336; 1521-3927
• DOI: 10.1002/marc.202100186

This study reports for the first time the excellent nonvolatile and volatile digital memory characteristics of polymers bearing 2‐pyrrolidone and succinimide moieties. A series of new polymers is synthesized from poly(ethylene‐alt‐maleic anhydride) and four alcohol derivatives with and without 2‐pyrrolidone and succinimide moieties. All polymers, including polyvinylpyrrolidone, are found to be thermally stable up to 195 °C or higher, and characterized regarding their molecular orbital energy levels, bandgap, and resistive digital memory behaviors. Excitingly, the polymers bearing either 2‐pyrrolidone or succinimide moiety demonstrate p‐type digital memory behaviors with high ON/OFF current ratios and long reliabilities. Nonvolatile digital memory performance is achieved over the film thickness range of 10–80 nm, whereas volatile digital memory is demonstrated over a much narrower range of film thickness. All digital memory performances can be originated from the 2‐pyrrolidone and succinimide moieties possessing high affinity and stabilization power to charges via charge traps and transformations based on a hopping conduction process. Hence, these new polymers are suitable for the production of high‐performance p‐type nonvolatile and volatile digital memory devices. Moreover, 2‐pyrrolidone and succinimide can be used as new and economical electroactive building blocks for the development of advanced digital memory materials. Polymers bearing 2‐pyrrolidone and succinimide moieties are newly found to have electrical memory capability, demonstrating excellent p‐type nonvolatile and volatile digital memory performances. Such digital memory capabilities originate from the 2‐pyrrolidone and succinimide moieties possessing high affinity and stabilization power to charges via charge traps and transformations based on a hopping conduction process.