WORM type memory device based on ionic organotin complex using 1,5-diphenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)formazan ligand

•Focused on synthesis and characterization of ionic organotin complex 1 based on redox active 1,5-Diphenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)formazan ligand.•This complex forms a three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular network due to extensive hydrogen bonding and π··π stacking interactions.•Memory device with sandwich structure Al/Complex 1/ITO fabricated using the complex 1 as the active layer.•The device interestingly demonstrated nonvolatile write once read many (WORM) memory behavior, with high switching on-off ratio of 104 and retention time of 4.5 × 104 s. Synthesis, structure, and write once read many (WORM) type memory behavior of an ionic organotin complex containing a 2-pyridine substituted formazan ligand is described herein. Ionic organotin complex (1) was obtained by the reaction of diphenyltin dichloride with 1,5-Diphenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)formazan ligand (L) in the presence of dilute hydrochloric acid in a 2:1 molar ratio in refluxing toluene for 24 hrs. The structure of complex 1 was confirmed using the single-crystal X-ray diffraction technique, which reveals an octahedral tetrachloridodiphenylstannate and a trigonal bipyramidal dichloridotriphenylstannate anions interacting with 1,5-Diphenyl-3-(2-pyridyl)formazan cation by the attractive force as well as hydrogen bonds between them. When applied as an active material in a metal insulator metal (MIM) type memory device, complex 1 exhibited unique write once-read many (WORM) type switching memory characteristics with a high switching on-off ratio of 104. The device interestingly also shows low switching voltage and good reading capability. This work offers a new direction for the rational design and fabrication of high-performance write-once-read-many (WORM) type memory devices based on ionic organotin complexes. [Display omitted]