Pressure-gated flexible nanofluidic memristor based on a probe-punctured PDMS membrane

A flexible nanofluidic memristor is demonstrated based on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) membrane containing a single nanopore formed by probe puncturing and controlled by external pressure. A PDMS prepolymer with a base-to-curing agent ratio of 10:1 is cast and cured into a thin, transferable film, which is then released and bonded onto a micromachined silicon window. A tungsten probe with an apex diameter of approximately 100 nm is employed to puncture the suspended membrane region under optical visualization. Following probe retraction, the viscoelastic membrane undergoes nearly complete self-closure, establishing a low-leakage baseline current ideal for pressure-gated ionic transport. Under 1 M KCl solution and 1 V direct-current bias, stepped pressurization via a microfluidic pump reversibly reopens the nanopore and induces pronounced non-volatile conductance modulation, with an ON/OFF ratio reaching up to approximately 108 across full pressurization–release cycles. The resistive switching mechanism arises from reversible elastic deformation of the PDMS matrix surrounding the probe-defined nanopore constriction, accompanied by distinct hysteretic behavior in current–voltage (I–V) characteristics. This pressure-gated, membrane-integrated device architecture enables straightforward implementation of mechanically programmable ionic transport without reliance on electrochemical redox reactions or chemical gating strategies, and underscores the potential of PDMS-based flexible membranes and nanoprobe machining for high-ratio nanofluidic memristive systems.