Organic semiconductors are very attractive for thin film Organic Photodetectors (OPDs) since they possess a number of desirable attributes for optical sensing including high absorption coefficients over visible and ultraviolet wavelengths and compatibility with large-area deposition processes such as ink-jet, screen printing, and solution processing. OPDs, in general, utilize a vertical device architecture where the photoactive organic semiconductor layers are sandwiched between top and bottom electrodes that provide electrical contact. More recently, an interest in utilizing a lateral device architecture instead of the vertical one, has emerged. In this architecture, the two contacts are positioned on the two sides of the photoactive material with respect to the direction of the incoming signal, separated by a small gap. However, the factors governing lateral OPDs’ photo-response are still not well understood. In this thesis, we fabricate top-contact lateral OPDs using a thermal evaporation only fabrication process. We study the factors governing both the dark and photo currents of lateral OPDs. The effect of the wide gap between the two electrodes on the current-voltage characteristics is discussed and the role of space charge limited conduction is investigated. The contributions in the photoresponse of light scattering through the active layers as well as the back reflection of light at the metallic contacts are emphasized. The reproducibility over repeated operation cycles of both dark and photo currents values is explored. Exposure to light of the lateral OPD is found to lead to a significant increase in the dark current. The role of the conductivity enhancement in the channel due to light-induced trap filling is investigated. External quantum efficiency and detectivity estimates are given for deep ultraviolet lateral (DUV) OPDs. A comparison with vertical DUV OPDs performances is provided. Finally, the use of a phosphorescent sensitizer doped in the absorbing bottom layer to improve top-contact lateral OPDs efficiency is discussed.

Organic semiconductors are very attractive for thin film Organic Photodetectors (OPDs) since they possess a number of desirable attributes for optical sensing including high absorption coefficients over visible and ultraviolet wavelengths and compatibility with large-area deposition processes such as ink-jet, screen printing, and solution processing. OPDs, in general, utilize a vertical device architecture where the photoactive organic semiconductor layers are sandwiched between top and bottom electrodes that provide electrical contact. More recently, an interest in utilizing a lateral device architecture instead of the vertical one, has emerged. In this architecture, the two contacts are positioned on the two sides of the photoactive material with respect to the direction of the incoming signal, separated by a small gap. However, the factors governing lateral OPDs’ photo-response are still not well understood. In this thesis, we fabricate top-contact lateral OPDs using a thermal evaporation only fabrication process. We study the factors governing both the dark and photo currents of lateral OPDs. The effect of the wide gap between the two electrodes on the current-voltage characteristics is discussed and the role of space charge limited conduction is investigated. The contributions in the photoresponse of light scattering through the active layers as well as the back reflection of light at the metallic contacts are emphasized. The reproducibility over repeated operation cycles of both dark and photo currents values is explored. Exposure to light of the lateral OPD is found to lead to a significant increase in the dark current. The role of the conductivity enhancement in the channel due to light-induced trap filling is investigated. External quantum efficiency and detectivity estimates are given for deep ultraviolet lateral (DUV) OPDs. A comparison with vertical DUV OPDs performances is provided. Finally, the use of a phosphorescent sensitizer doped in the absorbing bottom layer to improve top-contact lateral OPDs efficiency is discussed.

Resistive random access memory (RRAM), based on a two-terminal resistive switching device with a switching element sandwiched between two electrodes, has been an attractive candidate to replace flash memory owing to its simple structure, excellent scaling potential, low power consumption, high switching speed, and good retention and endurance properties. However, due to the current limited understanding of the device mechanism, RRAMs research are still facing several issues and challenges including instability of operation parameters, the relatively high reset current, the limited retention and the unsatisfactory endurance. In this study, we investigated the switching mechanisms, conditions and applications of oxygen vacancy (Vo) filament formation in resistive memories. By studying the behavior of conductive Vo nanofilaments in several metal/oxide/metal resistive devices of various thicknesses of oxides, a resulting model supported by the data postulates that there are two distinct modes of creating oxygen vacancies: i) a conventional bulk mode creation, and ii) surface mode of creating oxygen vacancies at the active metal-dielectric interface. A further investigation of conduction mechanism for the Vo CF only based memories is conducted through insertion of a thin layer of titanium into a Pt/ Ta2O5/Pt structure to form a Pt/Ti/ Ta2O5/Pt device. A space charge limited (SCL) conduction model is used to explain the experimental data regarding SET process at low voltage ranges. The evidence for existence of composite copper/oxygen vacancy nanofilaments is presented. The innovative use of hybrid Vo/Cu nanofilament will potentially overcome high forming voltage and gas accumulation issues. A resistive floating electrode device (RFED) is designed to allow the generation of current/voltage pulses that can be controlled by three independent technology parameters. Our recent research has demonstrated that in a Cu/TaOx/Pt resistive device multiple Cu conductive nanofilaments can be formed and ruptured successively. Near the end of the study, quantized and partial quantized conductance is observed at room temperature in metal-insulator-metal structures with graphene submicron-sized nanoplatelets embedded in a 3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) polymer layer. As an organic memory, the device exhibits reliable memory operation with an ON/OFF ratio of more than 10. / Ph. D.