Current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of organic molecular glasses and solution processable materials embedded between two electrodes were studied to find materials possessing high charge-carrier mobilities and to design organic memory devices. The comparison studies between TOF, FET and SCLC measurements confirm the validity of using analyses of I-V characteristics to determine the mobility of organic semiconductors. Hexaazatrinaphthylene derivatives tri-substituted by electron withdrawing groups were characterized as potential electron transporting molecular glasses. The presence of two isomers has important implications for film morphology and effective mobility. The statistical isomer mixture of hexaazatrinaphthylene derivatized with pentafluoro-phenylmethyl ester is able to form amorphous films, and electron mobilities with the range of 10 E cm2/Vs are observed in their I-V characteristics. Single-layer organic memory devices consisting of a polymer layer embedded between an Al electrode and ITO modified with Ag nanodots (Ag-NDs) prepared by a solution-based surface assembly demonstrated a potential capability as nonvolatile organic memory device with high ON/OFF switching ratios of 104. This level of performance could be achieved by modifying the ITO electrodes with some Ag-NDs that act as trapping sites, reducing the current in the OFF state. Based upon the observed electrical characteristics, the currents of the low-resistance state can be attributed to a tunneling through low-resistance pathways of metal particles originating from the metal top electrode in the organic layer and that the high-resistance state is controlled by charge trapping by the metal particles including Ag-NDs. In an alternative approach, complex films of AgNO3: hexaazatrinaphthylene derivatives were studied as the active layers for all-solution processed and air-stable organic memory devices. Rewritable memory effects were observed in the devices comprised of a thin polymer dielectric layer deposited on the bottom electrode, the complex film, and a conducting polymer film as the top electrode. The electrical characteristics indicate that the accumulation of Ag+ ions at the interface of the complex film and the top electrode may contribute to the switching effect.

The submitted thesis deals with the topic of organic memory, its definition and function, as well as its conceptions from various historical points of view. I use the term "organic memory" in respect to some authors who have previously dealt with this subject (Elsasser 1987, Otis 1994, Barbieri 2003) and also as a term by which to represent a kind of memory distinct from neuronal/cerebral memory. The general memory metaphors (in the case of neuronal memory) are essentially connected with terms such as storage, matrix, or place. For rather materialistic conception of memory, it is also symptomatic that different states such as emotions or mental faculties can be concretely localized in the brain tissue. On the contrary, some philosophers described memory as a primarily temporal entity without connection to place or matter. The question of organic memory was already vivid in 19th century biology, linked to Lamarckian philosophy (Hering 1870, Haeckel 1876, Butler 1910). The organic memory ideas floundered between vitalistic and rather materialistic conceptions: the first attributed some psychological features to cells or memory particles; the second was based on physics or in Cartesian doctrine, and described memory as essentially localized as a kind of storage of traces or patterns of physical waves....

A presente tese se desenvolve por meio da constituição do conceito de protoforma orgânica com o qual objetivamos tratar de relações problemáticas entre as noções gerais de vida e individualidade, particularmente no que se refere ao problema de suas origens, compreendida aqui como o momento privilegiado da gênese organo-vital no qual a tensão entre vida e individualidade se expressa de modo mais evidente. Vida, individualidade e origens se constituem em noções gerais e em grandes temas da investigação e da reflexão filosófica e científica de todos os tempos. O conceito de protoforma orgânica emerge da observação de diversos elementos em um solo histórico-conceitual de investigações científicas e em filosofia natural, que se constitui num conjunto de expressões históricas particulares que investigamos em nossa tese, a saber, os conceitos de monera, de Urschleim e de Urpflanze. Estruturamos o conceito de protoforma orgânica a partir de duas noções-eixo que nortearam o seu sentido. A primeira delas é a noção de uma polaridade entre uma condição pré-individual e uma condição individual como constituinte da forma orgânica. A segunda é a noção de memória orgânica como uma propriedade anímico-psíquica das formas orgânicas universalmente presente, desde os seus níveis mais elementares. Trata-se, assim, de compreender como se dá a relação problemática entre vida e individualidade e como a questão das suas origens pode contribuir para tal compreensão. Assim, o conceito de protoforma orgânica foi estruturado dentro de uma visão morfológica na qual as noções de forma e de orgânico se entrelaçam com as noções de vida e de individualidade. / The present thesis proposes the constitution of the concept of organic protoform with which we aim to deal with problematic relations between the general notions of life and individuality. Particularly with regard to the problem of its origins, understood here as the privileged moment of the genesis of organo-vital beings, at which moment the tension between life and individuality is expressed more clearly. Life, individuality and origins are general notions and themes of research and philosophical and scientific reflection of all time. The concept of organic protoform emerges from the observation of several elements directed to a historical-conceptual soil of scientific investigations and natural philosophy. This basis is constituted by our investigation into a set of particular historical expressions which we investigate in our thesis, namely the concepts of monera, Urschleim and Urpflanze. We structured the concept of organic protoform from two notions-axis that guided its meaning. The first is the notion of a polarity between a preindividual condition and an individual condition as a constituent of the organic form. The second is the notion of organic memory as a psychic property of organic forms universally present, from its most elementary levels. It is therefore a question of understanding how the problematic relationship between life and individuality takes place and how the question of its origins can contribute to this understanding. Thus, the concept of organic protoform was structured within a morphological vision in which the notions of form and of organic intertwine with the notions of life and of individuality.

A presente tese se desenvolve por meio da constituição do conceito de protoforma orgânica com o qual objetivamos tratar de relações problemáticas entre as noções gerais de vida e individualidade, particularmente no que se refere ao problema de suas origens, compreendida aqui como o momento privilegiado da gênese organo-vital no qual a tensão entre vida e individualidade se expressa de modo mais evidente. Vida, individualidade e origens se constituem em noções gerais e em grandes temas da investigação e da reflexão filosófica e científica de todos os tempos. O conceito de protoforma orgânica emerge da observação de diversos elementos em um solo histórico-conceitual de investigações científicas e em filosofia natural, que se constitui num conjunto de expressões históricas particulares que investigamos em nossa tese, a saber, os conceitos de monera, de Urschleim e de Urpflanze. Estruturamos o conceito de protoforma orgânica a partir de duas noções-eixo que nortearam o seu sentido. A primeira delas é a noção de uma polaridade entre uma condição pré-individual e uma condição individual como constituinte da forma orgânica. A segunda é a noção de memória orgânica como uma propriedade anímico-psíquica das formas orgânicas universalmente presente, desde os seus níveis mais elementares. Trata-se, assim, de compreender como se dá a relação problemática entre vida e individualidade e como a questão das suas origens pode contribuir para tal compreensão. Assim, o conceito de protoforma orgânica foi estruturado dentro de uma visão morfológica na qual as noções de forma e de orgânico se entrelaçam com as noções de vida e de individualidade. / The present thesis proposes the constitution of the concept of organic protoform with which we aim to deal with problematic relations between the general notions of life and individuality. Particularly with regard to the problem of its origins, understood here as the privileged moment of the genesis of organo-vital beings, at which moment the tension between life and individuality is expressed more clearly. Life, individuality and origins are general notions and themes of research and philosophical and scientific reflection of all time. The concept of organic protoform emerges from the observation of several elements directed to a historical-conceptual soil of scientific investigations and natural philosophy. This basis is constituted by our investigation into a set of particular historical expressions which we investigate in our thesis, namely the concepts of monera, Urschleim and Urpflanze. We structured the concept of organic protoform from two notions-axis that guided its meaning. The first is the notion of a polarity between a preindividual condition and an individual condition as a constituent of the organic form. The second is the notion of organic memory as a psychic property of organic forms universally present, from its most elementary levels. It is therefore a question of understanding how the problematic relationship between life and individuality takes place and how the question of its origins can contribute to this understanding. Thus, the concept of organic protoform was structured within a morphological vision in which the notions of form and of organic intertwine with the notions of life and of individuality.