Applied Chemistry for Computer Science & Engineering stream Dr . S. K.

Revathi

MODULE-2 Materials for Memory and Display Systems

1.What are Memory Devices? Explain the Classification of electronic
memory devices with examples
Memory device is a piece of hardware made of semiconducting materials used to
store data.
Example: CD, DVD, USB and external hard disc.
Classification of Memory Devices:
1. Transistor-Type Electronic Memory
2. Capacitor-Type Electronic Memory
3. Resistor-Type Electronic Memory
4. Charge Transfer Effects
Transistor-Type Electronic Memory:
Transistor is a miniature electronic component that can work either as an amplifier or
a switch. A computer memory chip consists of billions of transistors, each transistor is
working as a switch, which can be switched ON or OFF. Each transistor can be in two
different states and store two different numbers, ZERO and ONE. Since chip is made
of billions of such transistors and can store billions of Zeros and Ones, and almost
every number and letter can be stored.
Capacitor-Type Electronic Memory:
Capacitor consists of two metal plates which are capable of storing an electric
charge. It is like a battery that holds data based on energy.
 If the capacitor is charged, it holds the binary numeral,"1" and holds "0"
when the cell is discharged.
 If the parallel plates of a capacitor are separated by dielectric layer, charges
dissipate slowly and memory would be volatile.
 On the other hand, if the medium between the electrodes is ferroelectric in
nature, can maintain permanent electric polarization that can be repeatedly
switched between two stable states (bistable) by an external electric field. Thus,
memory based on ferroelectric capacitors (FeRAM) is non-volatile memory.

Resistor-Type Electronic Memory: Memory devices containing switchable resistive

materials are classified as resistor-type memory, or resistive random access memory
(RRAM).
 Resistor-type electronic memory usually has a simple structure, having a
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metal-insulator-metal structure generally referred to as MIM structure.

 The structure comprises of an insulating layer (I) sandwiched between the
two metal (M) electrodes and supported on a substrate (glass, silicon wafer,
plastic or metal foil).
 Initially, the device is under high resistance state or “OFF” and logically “0”
state, when resistance changed or under external applied field changes to low
resistance state or “ON” logical value “1”.

Charge Transfer Effects:

Charge transfer (CT) complex is defined as an electron donor–acceptor (D–A)
complex, characterized by an electronic transition to an excited state in which a
partial transfer of charge occurs from the donor moiety to the acceptor moiety. The
conductivity of a CT complex is dependent on the ionic binding between the D–A
components.
If the donor has intermediate size and ionization potential, it tends to form a weakly
ionic salt with the acceptor, which possesses incomplete CT (0.4 < δ < 0.7) and thus
is potentially conductive.

2. Explain the types of organic memory devices by taking p-

type and n-type semiconducting materials.
Organic electronic memory device uses organic semiconductors and stores data
based on different electrical conductivity states (ON and OFF states) in response to
an applied electric field.

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p-Type Organic Semiconductor Material “Pentacene”

An Organic molecule with π conjugated system and possess holes as major charge
When a positive voltage was applied between gate and source, it was found no flow of
carrier is called p-type semiconductor.
Example: Pentacene
electrons to drain due to higher energy gap between the Fermi level of gold (source) and
LUMO of Pentacene. On the other hand, when a negative voltage is applied between
the drain and source, holes are induced at source. This permits a channel of charges
(holes) to drain through semiconductor and insulator interface when a secondary
voltage is applied. Therefore it called as P-type semiconductor.

n-type organic semiconducting material Perfluoropentacene

An Organic molecule with π conjugated system with electron withdrawing
substituent groups and possess electrons as major charge carrier is called n-type
semiconductor.
In Pentacene, when hydrogen atoms are substituted by highly electronegative
fluorine atoms, it is called Perfluoropentacene and acts as N-type of semiconductor.
When a positive voltage is applied between source and
drain, electrons are induced in the source (gold).This
permits the channel of charges to drain through
semiconductor-insulator interface as the bandgap
between Fermi level of gold (source) LUMO energy of
Perfluoropentacene is 1.95ev which is lesser than
LUMO energy of Pentacene. Therefore, it is n-type
semiconductor.
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3 Define photoactive and electro active materials and write their

working principle in display system.
Photo active and electro active organic materials are the semiconductors
composed of π-electron systems which are used in electronic and opto -
electronic devices.
Working Principle of Photo active and electro active organic materials in
display system:
Photo- active and electro- active material absorb and emit light in the UV to IR
region. Display system (OLED) consisting of photoactive and electro active
material absorb light and allows an electron to jump from HOMO of a Donor to
LUMO of an Acceptor. This phenomenon generate and transport charge carriers.

When electrons move from cathode, anode allows movement of holes towards light
emitting layer under an applied field. Electron-hole pairs are created at the Light-
Emitting-Layer and energy is released due to recombination. This energy is
sufficient to excite an electron from HOMO to LUMO in the light emitting layer
made of photo -active and electro -active materials. There is a re-emission of light
while electron is returning to HOMO level. This light is extracted by a transparent
substrate placed adjacent to either of the electrode.

4 What are nano materials? Explain any four properties and

applications of Polythiophenes (P3HT) suitable for
optoelectronic devices.
Nanomamaterial : Any substance in which at least one dimension is
less than 100nm is called nanomaterials. The properties of
nanomaterials are different from bulk materials due to:
1. Quantum Confinement effect
2. Increased surface area to volume ratio
Polythiophenes are conjugated polymers, environmentally and thermally stable
material. Chemical structure of P3HT Poly (3-hexylthiophene) is a polymer with
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chemical formula (C10H14S)n. It is a polythiophene with a short alkyl group on

each repeat unit. Highly ordered (P3HT) are composed of closely packed, p–p
stacked (p–p distance of 0.33 nm).
Structure of P3HT

The improved electronic properties yielded for nanostructured P3HT suitable for
optoelectronic devices are listed as follows:
1. P3HT is a semiconducting polymer with high stability and exhibits conductivity
due to holes therefore considered as p-type semiconductor.
2. Poly-3-hexylthiophene (P3HT) have great capability as light-absorbing materials
in organic electronic devices.
3. P3HT has a crystalline structure and good charge-transport properties required for
Optoelectronics.
4. P3HT has a direct-allowed optical transition with a fundamental energy gap of
2.14 eV.
5. Fundamental bandgap of P3HT is 490nm visible region, corresponding to π
→π* transition, giving electron-hole pair.
Applications:
1. P3HT-ITO forms a p-n junction permit the charge carriers to move in
opposite direction and hence, used in Photovoltaic devices.
2. It can be used as a positive electrode in Lithium batteries.
3. Used in the construction of Organic Solar Cells.
4. Manufacture of smart
windows. 5.
6. Used in the fabrication new types of memory devices.

5 What is QLED? Mention any four properties and applications of

QLED.
Quantum dot light emitting diodes are a form of light emitting devices consisting of
nano-scale crystals that can convert light energy into electrical energy or vice-versa.
Properties of QLED
1. QLEDs are capable of producing highly accurate and vibrant colors due to their
use of quantum dots.
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2. QLEDs are more energy-efficient than traditional LCD displays because they
do not require as much back lighting.
3. QLED displays have high contrast ratios and produce more detailed and lifelike
images.
4. QLEDs have a longer lifespan than traditional LCD displays because they do
not suffer from the same issues of backlight burnout or color fading over time.
Applications of QLED
1. QLED displays are commonly used in televisions, monitors, smart phones, and
other electronic devices.
2. QLEDs can also be used as a source of lighting in various applications, including
automotive lighting, street lighting, and architectural lighting.
3. QLEDs can be used in medical imaging applications, such as in MRI
machines, to produce high- resolution and accurate images.
4. QLED displays can be used in advertising displays, such as digital billboards
and signage, to produce high-quality and eye-catching visuals.

6 Explain the classification of liquid crystals. Mention any four

properties and applications of liquid crystals.
The liquid crystals are a unique state of matter between solid (crystalline) and
liquid (isotropic) phases.

i) Thermo tropic liquid crystal

A liquid crystal is said to be thermo tropic if molecular orientation is
dependent on the temperature.
Example:

a) Nematic (or thread-like liquid crystals) : The molecules move either sideways
or up and down. Increase in temperature decreases the degree of orientation.
Example: p-azoxyphenetole

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b) Smectic (or soap-like liquid crystals): The molecules in smectic crystals are
oriented parallel to each other as in the nematic phase but in layers.

c) Cholesteric liquid crystals: Molecules in successive layers are slightly twisted

and form helical pattern.
d) Discotic liquid crystal: Molecules are arranged in a column arranged with disc
like structure.
2) Lyotropic liquid crystals: The orientational behaviour of Lyotropic crystals is a
function of concentration and solvent. These molecules are amphiphilic – they
have both hydrophilic and hydrophobic ends in their molecules. At low
concentrations, molecules are randomly arranged and higher concentration
produces a definite pattern heads out and tail in. Soaps and detergents form
Lyotropic crystals when they combine with water
Properties of liquid crystals
1. They exhibit optical anisotropy which is defined as the difference between
refractive index parallel to the director and refractive index perpendicular to the
director.
2. The intermolecular forces are rather weak and can be perturbed by an applied
electric field.
3. They interact with an electric field, which causes them to change their
orientation slightly.
4. Liquid Crystal can flow like a liquid, due to loss of positional order.

Applications of liquid crystals

1. The liquid crystal layer in LCDs allows for the display of images and
text through the use of electrical currents that control the orientation of
the crystals.
2. Liquid crystal sensors are used in various applications such as
temperature sensing, humidity sensing, and chemical sensing.
3. Liquid crystals are used in various optical devices such as variable optical
attenuators, phase shifters, and tunable filters. These devices are used in
optical communication systems, spectroscopy, and imaging.

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4. Liquid crystals have been used in drug delivery systems, where the drug is
encapsulated in the liquid crystal matrix and delivered to specific target cells.

7 Discuss the working of Liquid Crystal Display.

Liquid-crystal displays (LCDs) consist of multiple layers. Light produced by a
light-emitting diode passes through polarizing filters, color filters, and a liquid-
crystal layer to produce an image.
The basic working principle of LCD is blocking of light. When the external light
passes from one polarizer to the next polarizer, external supply is given to the
liquid crystal, the polarized light aligns itself so that the image is produced in the
screen.
The indium oxide conducting surface is a transparent layer which is placed on both
the sides of the sealed thick layer of liquid crystal. When no external bias is applied
the molecular arrangement is not disturbed.

When the external bias is applied the molecular arrangement is disturbed and that
area looks dark and the other area looks clear. In the segment arrangement, the
conducting segment looks dark and the other segment looks clear. To display
number 2 the segments A,B,G,E,D are energized.
The LCD can display images in colour by using filters that absorb different colours
of light. First, a white light-emitting diode shines light toward the front of the
display, generating each pixel. The pixels actually consist of three sub pixels, one
for each color—red, blue, and green. These sub pixels are made up of a liquid-
crystal layer and the appropriate color filter sandwiched between two polarizing
light filters. Transistor arrays switch the structural states of the liquid crystals to
control whether or not a sub pixel gets lit up, which in turn produces all the colors
in an image.
8 Explain any four properties and applications of Light
emitting materials - Poly[9-vinylcarbazole] (PVK)] suitable
for optoelectronic devices.

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 Applied Chemistry for Computer Science & Engineering stream Dr . S. K.Revathi

Properties of PVK
1. It is a semiconducting polymer and an electron acceptor converts ultra-violet
(UV) light into electricity.
2. PVK has a band gap of 3.4 eV, optical absorption edge stating at 350 nm capable
of absorbing Ultra-Violet light.
3. The PVK film is hydrophobic, thermally stable with a relatively high glass
transition temperature (Tg) of 200 °C
4. The PVK solution also showed good wettability, and provide uniform thin films
on glass/ITO substrates.
Poly (N-vinyl carbazole) (PVK) is a polymers and an efficient hole transport material
to prepare highly efficient and stable planar hetero junction perovskite solar cells.
Applications
1. PVK is used in OLEDs for light harvesting applications.
2. Used in the fabrication of light-emitting diodes and laser printers.
3. Used in the fabrication of organic solar cells when combined with TIO on glass
substrate.
4. Used in the fabrication of solar cells when combined with Perovskite materials.
5. PVK-Perovskite junction is used in Light- Emitting Diodes with Enhanced
Efficiency and Stability.
9 Discuss the use of Polyimide Polymeric material for Organic
memory device.
Organic polymer used for polymer used for organic memory device is Polyimide
with Donor- Triphenylamine and Acceptor- phthalimide.
Donor: Triphenyl Amine group (TPA) Acceptor: Phthalimide group
Hexafluoroisopropylidene (6F): Increases the solubility of PI

The donors and acceptors of PIs contribute to the electronic transition based on an
induced charge transfer (CT) effect under an applied electric field.

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 Applied Chemistry for Computer Science & Engineering stream Dr . S. K.Revathi

1. When an electric field more than threshold energy is applied, the electrons of the
HOMO (TPA unit) is excited to LUMO.
2. The energy of LUMO of donor and acceptor are similar and therefore, after
excitation the electron transferred to LUMO (acceptor),
generating a CT state.
3. This permits the generation of holes in the HOMO, which produces the open
channel for the charge carriers to migrate through.
4. Therefore, Field-induced charge transfer from Triphenylamine to Phthalimide
exhibit the switching behavior (bistable states ON/OFF).
10 Define Optoelectronic device. Explain the working principle of
Optoelectronic device.
A hardware device that converts electrical energy into light and light into energy
through semiconductors is called Optoelectronic device. Optoelectronic devices are
primarily transducers i.e. they can convert one energy form to another.
Working principle

If the photon has an energy larger than the energy a gap, the photon will be absorbed by
the semiconductor, exciting an electron from the valence band into the conduction band,
where it is free to move. A free hole is left behind in the valence band. When the excited
electron is returning to valence band, extra photon energy is emitted in the form a light.
This principle is used in Optoelectronic devices.
11 Write the properties and applications of Silicon Nano
Crystals for Optoelectronic devices
Properties of Silicon Nanocrystals for optoelectronics
1. Silicon Nano crystal has wider bandgap energy due to quantum confinement.
2. Si NCs shows higher light emission property (Photoluminescence)
3. Si NCs exhibit quantum yield of more than 60%.
4. Si-NCs exhibit tunable electronic structure
Applications:
1. Si NCs are used in neuromorphic computing and down-shifting in photovoltaics

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 Applied Chemistry for Computer Science & Engineering stream Dr . S. K.Revathi

2. Si NCs are used in the construction of novel solar cells, photodetectors and
optoelectronic synaptic devices.

12 What is OLED? Mention any four properties and applications of

OLED.
“OLEDs are thin film devices consisting of a stack of organic layers sandwiched
between two electrodes. OLEDs operate by converting electrical current into light
via an organic emitter”.
Properties of OLED
1. OLEDs are very thin and flexible, which makes them suitable for use in curved
or flexible displays.
2. OLEDs have a high contrast ratio, and produce images with vivid and rich
colours.
3. OLEDs have a fast response time, resulting in smooth and seamless motion in
video content.
4. OLEDs have a wide viewing angle, and image quality is maintained
even when viewed from different angles.
5. OLEDs are energy efficient, as they do not require a backlight like traditional
LCD displays.
Applications of QLED
5. QLED displays are commonly used in televisions, monitors, smartphones, and
other electronic devices.
6. QLEDs can also be used as a source of lighting in various applications, including
automotive lighting, street lighting, and architectural lighting.
7. QLEDs can be used in medical imaging applications, such as in MRI
machines, to produce high- resolution and accurate images.
QLED displays can be used in advertising displays, such as digital billboards
and signage, to produce high-quality and eye-catching visuals.

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