Exploring high-performance integration in a plastic crystal/film with switching and semiconducting behavior

Abstract

Multifunctional materials enable the integration of multiple physical signals in a single device for seamless integration, offering new opportunities in areas such as modern smart devices. For the needs of flexible devices, molecular functional materials are highly preferred due to their structural tunability, environmental friendliness and easy film formation. However, designing such multifunctional materials suitable for thin film devices has always been a huge challenge, especially semiconducting switchable dielectrics. Considering the unique structural properties and mechanical flexibility of plastic crystals, we have successfully designed an excellent multifunctional material, (N,N-dimethylpiperidinium)₃Bi₂Cl₉, which shows outstanding dielectric switching and semiconducting behavior comparable to ZnO. The plastic phase transition below room temperature and multiaxial characteristics caused by structural variation give its thin film preferred structural flexibility, good uniformity and stability. These attributes make it a potential candidate in flexible multifunctional devices, realizing the high-performance integration of semiconducting and switchable properties.