Tunable Nonvolatile Memory Behaviors of PCBM–MoS2 2D Nanocomposites through Surface Deposition Ratio Control

Efficient preparation of single-layer two-dimensional (2D) transition metal dichalcogenides, especially molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), offers readily available 2D surface in nanoscale to template various materials to form nanocomposites with van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs), opening up a new dimension for the design of functional electronic and optoelectronic materials and devices. Here, we report the tunable memory properties of the facilely prepared [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM)–MoS2 nanocomposites in a conventional diode device structure, where the vdWHs dominate the electric characteristics of the devices for various memory behaviors depending on different surface deposition ratios of PCBM on MoS2 nanosheets. Both nonvolatile WORM and flash memory devices have been realized using the new developed PCBM–MoS2 2D composites. Specially, the flash characteristic devices show rewritable resistive switching with low switching voltages (∼2 V), high current on/off ratios (∼3 × 102), and superior electrical bistability (>104 s). This research, through successfully allocating massive vdWHs on the MoS2 surface for organic/inorganic 2D nanocomposites, illustrates the great potential of 2D vdWHs in rectifying the electronic properties for high-performance memory devices and paves a way for the design of promising 2D nanocomposites with electronically active vdWHs for advanced device applications.