Flexible, transparent resistive switching device based on topological insulator Bi2Se3-organic composite

Two-dimensional topological insulator bismuth selenide (Bi2Se3) nanosheets (NSs) embedded in poly-methyl methacrylate (PMMA) are employed for the first time for the resistive switching (RS) application. Hexagonal 2D Bi2Se3 NSs are synthesized by a simple solvothermal method and combine with PMMA at different weight percentages of 2D Bi2Se3. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy along with other characterizations such as X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy were performed for the characterization of Bi2Se3 @PMMA hybrid system. The composite was deposited on a transparent, flexible polyethylene terephthalate substrate to form Ag/Bi2Se3@PMMA/indium doped tin oxide memory cell. I-V characteristics of the device revealed a stable and non-volatile memory effect. The device shows a significantly high resistance (R-HRS/R-LRS) ratio, more than 10(3), high retention time (more than 9000 s) with high reproducibility over a large number of (10(5)) ac cycles. From the experimental data, RS performances are explained by using a charge trapping-detrapping mechanism. Owing to the increasing interest in flexible electronics, bending tests are carried out at various bending diameters (10-30 mm) to show the mechanical robustness of the proposed device. Published by AIP Publishing.