Effect of Functional Group on Electrical Switching Behaviour of an Imidazole Derivative in Langmuir-Blodgett Film

Here we report the design and synthesis of an imidazole derivative namely 1-benzyl-2,4,5-triaryl imidazole and its switching behaviour assembled onto Langmuir-Blodgett films. Monolayer characteristic of imidazole at the air-water interface has been studied by surface pressure vs area per molecule isotherm, hysteresis analysis and insitu Brewster Angle Microscopy . These studies indicated the formation of stable floating Langmuir film at the water subphase. Atomic Force Microscopy investigation confirmed the successful deposition of the Langmuir film onto solid substrate. Device consisted of 60 layers LB films of imidazole showed resistive bipolar switching behaviour irrespective of the first applied bias voltage polarity. Observed bipolar switching has been explained in terms of reduction oxidation process. Due to the presence of strong reducible group C double bond N in the imidazole core, reduction oxidation process takes place easily during bias. Presence of sharp reduction and oxidation peaks in the Cyclic Voltammetry measurement of 2 also supported this hypothesis. Presence of benzyl group with the imidazole core played the crucial rule in the reduction oxidation process and hence the switching behaviour. When benzyl group was replaced by a H then bipolar switching was not observed. In that case oxidizable group NH opposed the reduction process during bias. This type of bipolar switching is very promising for future technological applications in organic electronics.