A molecular memory cell and methods for forming a molecular memory cell, which allow for easy and inexpensive manufacturing and flexibility in memory system design. Embodiments include a non-volatile molecular memory cell, comprising: a substrate having a conductor, a superionic conductor, a polymer layer over said superionic conductor, a layer of metal ions formed from the superionic conductor and residing between said polymer layer and said superionic conductor, and a second conductor over the polymer layer. Other embodiments include methods for forming a molecular memory cell, wherein a superionic conductor is deposited over a suitable substrate having conductor. A polymeric film is then deposited over the superionic conductor via a living polymerization reaction initiated by the superionic conductor. Furthermore, a layer of excess metal ions from the superionic conductor forms on an upper surface of the superionic conductor. A top conductor is then formed on the polymeric film.
A memory cell is provided with a pair of electrodes, and an active layer sandwiched between the electrodes and including a molecular system and ionic complexes distributed in the molecular system. The active layer having a high-impedance state and a low-impedance state switches from the high-impedance state to the low-impedance state when an amplitude of a writing signal exceeds a writing threshold level, to enable writing information into the memory cell. The active layer switches from the low-impedance state to the high-impedance state when an amplitude of an erasing signal having opposite polarity with respect to the writing signal exceeds an erasing threshold level, to enable erasing information from the memory cell.
