Redox Switching Behavior in Resistive Memory Device Designed Using a Solution-Processable Phenalenyl-Based Co(II) Complex: Experimental and DFT Studies.

We herein report a novel square-planar complex [CoL], which was synthesized using the electronically interesting phenalenyl-derived ligand LH = 9,9'-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(azanediyl))bis(1-phenalen-1-one). The molecular structure of the complex is confirmed with the help of the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique. [CoL] is a mononuclear complex where the Co(II) ion is present in the square-planar geometry coordinated by the chelating bis-phenalenone ligand. The solid-state packing of [CoL] complex in a crystal structure has been explained with the help of supramolecular studies, which revealed that the π···π stacking present in the [CoL] complex is analogous to the one present in tetrathiafulvalene/tetracyanoquinodimethane charge transfer salt, well-known materials for their unique charge carrier interfaces. The [CoL] complex was employed as the active material to fabricate a resistive switching memory device, indium tin oxide/CoL/Al, and characterized using the write-read-erase-read cycle. The device has interestingly shown a stable and reproducible switching between two different resistance states for more than 2000 s. Observed bistable resistive states of the device have been explained by corroborating the electrochemical characterizations and density functional theory studies, where the role of the Co metal center and π-conjugated phenalenyl backbone in the redox-resistive switching mechanism is proposed.