Photocurrent switching method based on photoisomerization of diarylethene layer for nondestructive readout of photochromic optical memory.
We report on photocurrent switching based on photoisomerization for the nondestructive readout of photochromic optical memory. The photoisomerization of a diarylethene (DAE) memory layer switched the photocurrent generated in a light-absorbing phthalocyanine layer upon irradiation of a laser light. This switching is based on the ionization potential change of the DAE molecules. Switching characteristics of the photocurrent were investigated for the laser light with a wavelength of 410 nm, 630 nm, or 780 nm. Excellent on-off ratios of the photocurrent were achieved by irradiation at 630 nm and 780 nm. When the pulsed laser light with a wavelength of 780 nm was repeatedly irradiated to the colored and uncolored memory devices, no change of the photocurrent signal levels was observed, even after 8 x 10(5) cycles, indicating a successful demonstration of the nondestructive readout.
Tsujioka
Tsuyoshi
T
Department of Arts and Sciences, Faculty of Education, Osaka Kyoiku University, Asahigaoka 4-698-1, Kashiwara, Osaka, 582-8582, Japan. tsujioka@cc.osaka-kyoiku.ac.jp
Onishi
Itaru
I
Natsume
Daisuke
D