In the era of big data and advanced artificial intelligence, traditional data storage methods are becoming inadequate. To address the need for high-capacity and energy-efficient storage solutions, the development of next-generation technologies is crucial.

Among these is resistive random-access memory (RRAM), which relies on altering resistance levels to store data. A recent study published in the journal Angewandte Chemie details the work of a research team who have pioneered a method for creating supramolecular memristors, one of the key components in the construction of nano-RRAM.

Understanding Memristors in Nano-RRAM

A memristor (short for memory-resistor) changes its resistance depending on the voltage applied. However, constructing a memristor on the molecular scale is an enormous challenge. Although resistance switching can be achieved through redox reactions, and the charged states of molecules can easily be stabilized by counterions in solution, this stabilization is very difficult to achieve in the solid-state junctions required for a memristor.

A team led by Yuan Li at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China, has now chosen to take a supramolecular approach. It is based on a [2]catenane that is bistable, meaning it is stable in both oxidized and reduced forms and can exist in a positive, negative, or uncharged state. A [2]catenane is a system of two large molecular rings that are interlocked like two links in a chain but are not chemically bonded.

Constructing the Memristor

To build a memristor, the team deposits the catenane onto a gold electrode coated with a sulfur-containing compound, where it is bound through electrostatic interaction. On top of this, they put a second electrode made of a gallium-indium SciTechDaily