Negative differential resistance in glutathione-functionalized MoS 2 quantum dot-based resistive switching devices

Abstract Resistive switching (RS) and negative differential resistance (NDR) within the same device have promising applications in switches, memory devices, and analog-to-digital converters. In this study, we synthesized molybdenum disulfide (MoS ₂ ) quantum dots (QDs) functionalized with glutathione (GSH) and investigated their electrical properties. Current–voltage ( I – V ) measurements of the QD device revealed the coexistence of RS and NDR at room temperature. By adjusting the voltage scan rate, the NDR effect was enhanced, achieving a peak-to-valley ratio of 23.6. A model based on carrier tunneling and trapping was proposed to explain the observed NDR and RS. Moreover, the device demonstrated excellent durability, maintaining a stable high on/off resistance ratio of approximately 10 4 after 100 voltage-sweep cycles under ambient conditions. These results indicate that GSH-functionalized MoS ₂ QDs exhibit controllable RS and NDR, demonstrating significant potential for advanced multifunctional memory devices.