Nanoscale 'Noise-Source Switching' during the Optoelectronic Switching of Phase-Separated Polymer Nanocomposites

A method is developed to directly map nanoscale "noise-source switching" phenomena during the optoelectronic switching of phase-separated polymer nanocomposites of tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and phenyl-C61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) molecules dispersed in a polystyrene (PS) matrix. In the method, electrical current and noise maps of the nanocomposite film are recorded using a conducting nanoprobe, enabling the mapping of a conductivity and a noise-source density. The results provide evidence for a repeated modulation in noise sources, a "noise-source switching," in each stage of a switching cycle. Interestingly, when the nanocomposite is "set" by a high bias, insulating PS-rich phases shows a drastic decrease in a noise-source density which becomes lower than that of conducting TTF-PCBM-rich phases. This can be attributed to a trap filling by charge carriers generated from a TTF (donor)-PCBM (acceptor) complex. In addition, when the film is exposed to UV, an optical switching occurs due to chemical reactions which lead to irreversible changes on the noise-source density and conductivity. The method provides a new insight on noise-source activities during the optoelectronic switching of polymer nanocomposites and thus can be a powerful tool for basic noise research and applications in organic memory devices.