Mechanism of conductance switching: An optical investigation

Electronic conductance switching in devices based on thin films of an organic molecule has been studied. Switching between two conducting states has been induced by voltage pulse, while the states have been probed by optical and electrical measurements simultaneously. In situ optical measurements showed that electroreduction of molecules led to conductance switching and appearance of high-conducting state in the device. We could "write" or "erase" a state by applying electrical pulse and "read" it by measuring electronic absorbance and conductivity. The "write" and "read" processes have been carried out for many cycles to exhibit a correspondence between conductance switching and electrochromism.