Evidence of Nanoparticle Migration in Polymeric Hybrid Memristor Devices

We report evidence of possible migration of metal nanoparticles in nanoparticle-polymer memristor devices. In bi-layer devices, having a bottom layer containing a mixed nanoparticle polymer blend and a top layer of just the polymer, the light emission from a fluorescent dye in the bottom layer was observed to change during the application of an electric potential. Control of the fluorescence emission by changing the magnitude and direction of the applied voltage support a mechanism of electric field induced migration of metal nanoparticles from the bottom into the top layer. Potential applications as switches and displays in optoelectronics are also briefly discussed.