Nanowires of metal-organic complex by photocrystallization: a system to achieve addressable electrically bistable devices and memory elements.

A new method has been achieved to form a Cu:benzoquinone derivative (DDQ) charge-transfer complex by the photoexcitation of [Cu(DDQ)2(CH 3COO)2] ( 1) that has been synthesized by the reaction of DDQ and hydrated cupric acetate in acetonitrile. Photoexcitation of coordinated complex 1 leads to the formation of charge-transfer complex Cu2+(DDQ(.-)2 ( 2). The charge transfer complex 2, when spun on solid substrates, forms nanowires. Sandwich structures of 2 exhibit electrical bistability associated with memory phenomenon. Read-only and random-access memory phenomena are evidenced in nanowires of 2 providing a route to attend the issues pertaining to the addressibility of organic memory devices.