Self-assembled monolayer films of a cyclometalated ruthenium complex with a redox-active amine substituent and three carboxylic acid groups have been prepared on ITO electrode surfaces. The obtained thin films show three-state electrochromic switching with low electrochemical potential inputs and high near-infrared absorbance outputs. Thanks to the long retention time of each oxidation states, these films have been used to demonstrate surface-confined flip-flop memory functions with high ON/OFF ratios at the molecular scale.

J. Am. Chem. Soc.  2015， 137， 4058