Light-sensitive charge storage medium with spironaphthooxazine molecule-polymer blends for dual-functional organic phototransistor memory

Organic phototransistor memory is considered as a promising optoelectronic device owing to its multifunctionality. However, due to the poor reliability of each function and the complexity of the device structure, it is necessary to optimize the thin-film process of functional materials when constructing multiple functions into a single device. Here, we demonstrate a dual-functional device that is both a working memory transistor and a phototransistor by incorporating photochromic spironaphthooxazine molecules into an organic insulating layer. The photochromic molecules in the polymer matrix not only exhibit nonvolatile charge storage properties similar to nano-floating gates but also feature a reversible electronic band structure upon alternating irradiation with ultraviolet and visible light, which makes the device function as both an electrical memory transistor and a phototransistor. Furthermore, the photoresponsive charge trap layer in the demonstrated device leads to excellent memory performance under both dark and light conditions, which includes a large memory window (~56 V), stable endurance cycles (>10²), and good retention characteristics (>10⁴ s). Our findings suggest an alternative strategy to realize organic multifunctional nonvolatile memories.