Rapid digital technology advancement has resulted in a tremendous increase in computing tasks imposing stringent energy efficiency and area efficiency requirements on next-generation computing. To meet the growing data-driven demand, in-memory computing and transistor-based computing have emerged as potent technologies for the implementation of matrix and logic computing. However, to fulfil the future computing requirements new materials are urgently needed to complement the existing Si complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor technology and new technologies must be developed to enable further diversification of electronics and their applications. The abundance and rich variety of electronic properties of two-dimensional materials have endowed them with the potential to enhance computing energy efficiency while enabling continued device downscaling to a feature size below 5 nm. In this Review, from the perspective of matrix and logic computing, we discuss the opportunities, progress and challenges of integrating two-dimensional materials with in-memory computing and transistor-based computing technologies. This Review discusses the recent progress and future prospects of two-dimensional materials for next-generation nanoelectronics.

Two-dimensional materials for next-generation computing technologies.

Inspired by the biological neuromorphic system, which exhibits a high degree of connectivity to process huge amounts of information, photonic memory is expected to pave a way to overcome the von Neumann bottleneck for nonconventional computing. Here, a photonic flash memory based on all-inorganic CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots (QDs) is demonstrated. The heterostructure formed between the CsPbBr3 QDs and semiconductor layer serves as a basis for optically programmable and electrically erasable characteristics of the memory device. Furthermore, synapse functions including short-term plasticity, long-term plasticity, and spike-rate-dependent plasticity are emulated at the device level. The photonic potentiation and electrical habituation are implemented and the synaptic weight exhibits multiple wavelength response from 365, 450, 520 to 660 nm. These results may locate the stage for further thrilling novel advances in perovskite-based memories.

Photonic Synapses Based on Inorganic Perovskite Quantum Dots for Neuromorphic Computing.

The rapid development of information technology has led to urgent requirements for high efficiency and ultralow power consumption. In the past few decades, neuromorphic computing has drawn extensive attention due to its promising capability in processing massive data with extremely low power consumption. Here, we offer a comprehensive review on emerging artificial neuromorphic devices and their applications. In light of the inner physical processes, we classify the devices into nine major categories and discuss their respective strengths and weaknesses. We will show that anion/cation migration-based memristive devices, phase change, and spintronic synapses have been quite mature and possess excellent stability as a memory device, yet they still suffer from challenges in weight updating linearity and symmetry. Meanwhile, the recently developed electrolyte-gated synaptic transistors have demonstrated outstanding energy efficiency, linearity, and symmetry, but their stability and scalability still need to be optimized. Other emerging synaptic structures, such as ferroelectric, metal–insulator transition based, photonic, and purely electronic devices also have limitations in some aspects, therefore leading to the need for further developing high-performance synaptic devices. Additional efforts are also demanded to enhance the functionality of artificial neurons while maintaining a relatively low cost in area and power, and it will be of significance to explore the intrinsic neuronal stochasticity in computing and optimize their driving capability, etc. Finally, by looking into the correlations between the operation mechanisms, material systems, device structures, and performance, we provide clues to future material selections, device designs, and integrations for artificial synapses and neurons.

A comprehensive review on emerging artificial neuromorphic devices

Recent Advances in Transistor-Based Artificial Synapses

Electronic synaptic devices are important building blocks for neuromorphic computational systems that can go beyond the constraints of von Neumann architecture. Although two-terminal memristive devices are demonstrated to be possible candidates, they suffer from several shortcomings related to the filament formation mechanism including nonlinear switching, write noise, and high device conductance, all of which limit the accuracy and energy efficiency. Electrochemical three-terminal transistors, in which the channel conductance can be tuned without filament formation provide an alternative platform for synaptic electronics. Here, an all-solid-state electrochemical transistor made with Li ion–based solid dielectric and 2D α-phase molybdenum oxide (α-MoO3) nanosheets as the channel is demonstrated. These devices achieve nonvolatile conductance modulation in an ultralow conductance regime (<75 nS) by reversible intercalation of Li ions into the α-MoO3 lattice. Based on this operating mechanism, the essential functionalities of synapses, such as shortand long-term synaptic plasticity and bidirectional near-linear analog weight update are demonstrated. Simulations using the handwritten digit data sets demonstrate high recognition accuracy (94.1%) of the synaptic transistor arrays. These results provide an insight into the application of 2D oxides for large-scale, energy-efficient neuromorphic computing networks.

All‐Solid‐State Synaptic Transistor with Ultralow Conductance for Neuromorphic Computing

Biological synapses store and process information simultaneously by tuning the connection between two neighboring neurons. Such functionality inspires the task of hardware implementation of neuromorphic computing systems. Ionic/electronic hybrid three-terminal memristive devices, in which the channel conductance can be modulated according to the history of applied voltage and current, provide a more promising way of emulating synapses by a substantial reduction in complexity and energy consumption. 2D van der Waals materials with single or few layers of crystal unit cells have been a widespread innovation in three-terminal electronic devices. However, less attention has been paid to 2D transition-metal oxides, which have good stability and technique compatibility. Here, nanoscale three-terminal memristive transistors based on quasi-2D α-phase molybdenum oxide (α-MoO3 ) to emulate biological synapses are presented. The essential synaptic behaviors, such as excitatory postsynaptic current, depression and potentiation of synaptic weight, and paired-pulse facilitation, as well as the transition of short-term plasticity to long-term potentiation, are demonstrated in the three-terminal devices. These results provide an insight into the potential application of 2D transition-metal oxides for synaptic devices with high scaling ability, low energy consumption, and high processing efficiency.

A Synaptic Transistor based on Quasi-2D Molybdenum Oxide.

Various mechanisms of electrical generation of spin polarization in nonmagnetic materials have been a subject of broad interest for their underlying physics and device potential in spintronics. One such scheme is chirality-induced spin selectivity (CISS), with which structural chirality leads to different electric conductivities for electrons of opposite spins. The resulting effect of spin filtering has been reported for a number of chiral molecules assembled on different surfaces. However, the microscopic origin and transport mechanisms remain controversial. In particular, the fundamental Onsager relation was argued to preclude linear-response detection of CISS by a ferromagnet. Here, we report definitive observation of CISS-induced magnetoconductance in vertical heterojunctions of (Ga,Mn)As/AHPA-L molecules/Au, directly verifying spin filtering by the AHPA-L molecules via spin detection by the (Ga,Mn)As. The pronounced and robust magnetoconductance signals resulting from the use of a magnetic semiconductor enable a rigorous examination of its bias dependence, which shows both linear- and nonlinear-response components. The definitive identification of the linear-response CISS-induced two-terminal spin-valve effect places an important constraint for a viable theory of CISS and its device manifestations. The results present a promising route to spin injection and detection in semiconductors without using any magnetic material.

Linear and Nonlinear Two-Terminal Spin-Valve Effect from Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity.

Inducing magnetism in a topological insulator (TI) by exchange coupling with a ferromagnetic insulator (FMI) will break the time-reversal symmetry of topological surface states, offering possibilities to realize several predicted novel magneto-electric effects. Seeking suitable FMI materials is crucial for the coupling of heterojunctions, and yet is challenging as well and only a few kinds have been explored. In this report, we introduce epitaxial LaCoO3 thin films on a SrTiO3 substrate, which is an insulating ferromagnet with a Curie temperature of TC ∼ 85 K, to be combined with TIs for proximity coupling. Thin films of the prototype topological insulator, Bi2Se3, are successfully grown onto the (001) surface of LaCoO3/SrTiO3, forming a high-quality TI/FMI heterostructure with a sharp interface. The magnetic and transport measurements manifest the emergence of a ferromagnetic phase in Bi2Se3 films, with additional induced moments and a suppressed weak antilocalization effect, while preserving the carrier mobility of the intrinsic Bi2Se3 films at the same time. Moreover, a signal of an anomalous Hall effect is observed and persists up to temperatures above 100 K, paving the way towards spintronic device applications.

Proximity-induced magnetism and an anomalous Hall effect in Bi2Se3/LaCoO3: a topological insulator/ferromagnetic insulator thin film heterostructure.

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Anomalous Hall Effect in Layered Ferrimagnet MnSb$_{2}$Te$_{4}$

We report on low-temperature electron transport properties of MnSb2Te4, a candidate of ferrimagnetic Weyl semimetal. Long -range magnetic order is manifested as a nearly square-shaped hysteresis loop in the anomalous Hall resistance, as well as sharp jumps in the magnetoresistance. At temperatures below 4 K, a lnT-type upturn appears in the temperature dependence of longitudinal resistance, which can be attributed to the electron-electron interaction (EEI), since the weak localization can be excluded by the temperature dependence of magnetoresistance. Although the anomalous Hall resistance exhibits a similar lnT-type upturn in the same temperature range, such correction is absent in the anomalous Hall conductivity. Our work demonstrates that MnSb2Te4 microflakes provide an ideal system to test the theory of EEI correction to the anomalous Hall effect.

Gang Shi

Papers

A Synaptic Transistor based on Quasi-2D Molybdenum Oxide.

Linear and Nonlinear Two-Terminal Spin-Valve Effect from Chirality-Induced Spin Selectivity.

Proximity-induced magnetism and an anomalous Hall effect in Bi2Se3/LaCoO3: a topological insulator/ferromagnetic insulator thin film heterostructure.

Anomalous Hall Effect in Layered Ferrimagnet MnSb$_{2}$Te$_{4}$

Anomalous Hall Effect in Layered Ferrimagnet MnSb2Te4