Bistable organic electrochemical transistors: enthalpy vs. entropy

Lukas M. Bongartz (), Richard Kantelberg, Tommy Meier, Raik Hoffmann, Christian Matthus, Anton Weissbach, Matteo Cucchi, Hans Kleemann and Karl Leo
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Lukas M. Bongartz: Technische Universität Dresden
Richard Kantelberg: Technische Universität Dresden
Tommy Meier: Technische Universität Dresden
Raik Hoffmann: Center Nanoelectronic Technologies
Christian Matthus: Technische Universität Dresden
Anton Weissbach: Technische Universität Dresden
Matteo Cucchi: Technische Universität Dresden
Hans Kleemann: Technische Universität Dresden
Karl Leo: Technische Universität Dresden

Nature Communications, 2024, vol. 15, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs) underpin a range of emerging technologies, from bioelectronics to neuromorphic computing, owing to their unique coupling of electronic and ionic charge carriers. In this context, various OECT systems exhibit significant hysteresis in their transfer curve, which is frequently leveraged to achieve non-volatility. Meanwhile, a general understanding of its physical origin is missing. Here, we introduce a thermodynamic framework that readily explains the emergence of bistable OECT operation via the interplay of enthalpy and entropy. We validate this model through temperature-resolved characterizations, material manipulation, and thermal imaging. Further, we reveal deviations from Boltzmann statistics for the subthreshold swing and reinterpret existing literature. Capitalizing on these findings, we finally demonstrate a single-OECT Schmitt trigger, thus compacting a multi-component circuit into a single device. These insights provide a fundamental advance for OECT physics and its application in non-conventional computing, where symmetry-breaking phenomena are pivotal to unlock new paradigms of information processing.

Date: 2024
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-51001-9

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