Switching charge states in quasi-2D molecular conductors

Abstract

Two dimensional (2D) molecular entities build next-generation electronic devices, where abundant elements of organic molecules are attractive due to the modern synthetic and stimuli control through chemical, conformational and electronic modifications in electronics. Despite its promising potential, the insufficient control over charge states and electronic stabilities must be overcome in molecular electronic devices. Here we show the reversible switching of modulated charge states in an exfoliatable two-dimensional layered molecular conductor based on bis(ethylenedithio)tetrathiafulvalene molecular dimers. The multiple stimuli application of cooling rate, current, voltage and laser irradiation in a concurrent manner facilitates the controllable manipulation of charge crystal, glass, liquid, and metal phases. The four orders of magnitude switching of electric resistance are triggered by stimuli-responsive charge distribution among molecular dimers. The tunable charge transport in 2D molecular conductors reveals the kinetic process of charge configurations under stimuli, promising to add electric functions in molecular circuitry.