As one of the five basic components in a modern computer system, memory plays a key role in data storage while the Von Neumann architecture still occupies a principal position in modern digital era. With the rapid development of portable electronic devices, non‐volatile memories are of great importance in human's daily life. High‐performance memory devices are highly demanded, and novel materials applied to flash memory and resistive random access memory (ReRAM) have been widely investigated. The functionalities of memories can be broadened with the development of semiconductor technologies. As a facile and low‐power electromagnetic wave, light can be another modulation medium, which will not bring destructive operation and can enhance the device performance. In this review, the focus is on flash memory and ReRAM based on various functional materials as well as the recent development of photo‐tunable memories.

In article number http://doi.wiley.com/10.1002/pssr.201800644, Su‐Ting Han, Ye Zhou and coworkers present a critical review on the recent developments of functional memories. First, three‐terminal field effect transistor memory is introduced, while metal oxides, organic semiconductors and 2D materials are mainly discussed for the construction of the semiconductor channel. The resistive random access memory (ReRAM) is then presented. Resistive switching phenomena exist in various kinds of materials such as oxides, polymers and 2D materials. The researches on these materials and their applications on ReRAM are reviewed systematically. In the final part, novel photo‐tunable memory is introduced. Based on the basic structure of these memory devices, photo‐tunable materials can be further used to bring in light modulation.