Rectifying electrical noise with an ionic-organic ratchet.

Electronic ratchets can rectify AC signals that are extracted from unpredictable energy fluctuations. A device is presented with ratchet-like current-voltage characteristics, which delivers record high electrical currents of 2.6 and 1.7 μA when driven with an AC signal of square wave and random amplitude, respectively. The device is based on a poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl):salt blend, which acquires rectification properties after a voltage stress in a transistor configuration.