Spin crossover probes confer multistability to organic conducting polymers

Switchable organic conductors can be readily obtained by combining organic conducting polymers (CPs), with the unparalleled bistability of spin crossover (SCO) complexes. Here it is reported how CPs with embedded SCO components exhibit synergic multistability. Upon acting on the SCO probes by external stimuli (thermal activation in this case), the spin transition induces up to a 300% difference in the electrical conductivity of the CP component between the low-spin and high-spin regimes, and with a wide hysteresis at technologically relevant temperatures. These results pave the way for the exploitation of the unique SCO switching capabilities in electronic devices.