Resistive switching characteristics of ZnO nanoparticles layer-by-layer assembly based on cortisol and its antibody immune binding

In this study, a resistive switching (RS) memory characteristic of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles (NPs) multiple layer through a neurotransmitter and its corresponding antibody’s specific binding was demonstrated in Al/ZnO NPs/ITO device format. Particularly, a layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly was enabled through a specific immune binding between a stress hormone, cortisol, and its fittable cortisol monoclonal antibody (c-Mab). The assembly formation was accomplished using sequential LbL deposition, which could accomplish alternating self-assembly monolayers (SAMs) of ZnO NPs as the RS active layer. Here, the current–voltage (I–V) curve exhibited disparate nonvolatile RS characteristics depending on sweep polarity showing consecutively evolved hysteresis. In this study, analog-typed RS function of the ZnO NPs LbL device was demonstrated and characterized.