Nonvolatile organic memory devices with CdTe quantum dots

•A nonvolatile organic memory devices were fabricated using CdTe QDs.•The charging and discharging behavior of CdTe QDs as MIS structure was measured through C–V characteristics.•The memory devices using CdTe QDs showed a large memory window and good retention characteristics. The nonvolatile organic memory devices were fabricated utilizing CdTe quantum dots (QDs). QDs were used as a hole-trapping component in the memory device. We analyzed the electrical properties of the memory device fabricated with CdTe QDs by measuring the capacitance–voltage characteristics and retention time. A number of holes were trapped in CdTe from pentacene, which formed band bending between pentacene and QD layer. We observed large hysteresis at capacitance–voltage response during the operation of the device. The long retention of programmed state time of 104s can be potentially useful in practical applications of non-volatile memory.