Polymer memristor for information storage and neuromorphic applications

Polymer materials have been considered as promising candidates for the implementation of memristor devices due to their low-cost, easy solution processability, mechanical flexibility and ductibility, tunable electronic performance through innovative molecular design cum synthesis strategy and compatibility with complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology as well. The digital-type polymer memristor behaves as resistive random access memory with non-volatility, high density, more speed, low power consumption, large ON/OFF ratio, high endurance and long retention, and is recognized as an appealing candidate for the next generation “universal memory”. As a logic component, the analog-type memristor, with the ability to emulate the fundamental synaptic functions of short-term/long-term plasticity (STP/LTP), spike-timing dependent-plasticity (STDP), spike-rate dependent plasticity (SRDP) and “learning-experience” behaviors, can be used to construct artificial neural networks for neuromorphic computation. In this review, we shall attempt to summarize the recent progress in research on the materials, switching characteristics and mechanism aspects of two terminal polymer memristors, for both information storage and neuromorphic applications that inspire great interest in the industrial and academic communities.