Synaptic Behaviors in Ferroelectric-Like Field-Effect Transistors with Ultrathin Amorphous HfO2 Film

• Published in: Nanoscale research letters Vol. 17; no. 1; p. 17
• Main Authors: Peng, Yue, Xiao, Wenwu, Zhang, Guoqing, Han, Genquan, Liu, Yan, Hao, Yue
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 24.01.2022; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Chemistry and Materials Science; Ferroelectricity; FET; Field effect transistors; Hafnium oxide; HfO2; Long term memory; Materials Science; Memory; Molecular Medicine; Nano Express; Nanochemistry; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Oxygen vacancy dipole; Paired-pulse facilitation; Refractory period; Semiconductor devices; Short term; Short term memory; Synapse; Waveforms; HfO; Oxygen vacancy dipole; Synapse; FET; Memory
• ISSN: 1556-276X; 1931-7573; 1556-276X
• DOI: 10.1186/s11671-022-03655-x

We demonstrate a non-volatile field-effect transistor (NVFET) with a 3-nm amorphous HfO 2 dielectric that can simulate the synaptic functions under the difference and repetition of gate voltage ( V G ) pulses. Under 100 ns write/erase (W/E) pulse, a memory window greater than 0.56 V and cycling endurance above 10 6 are obtained. The storied information as short-term plasticity (STP) in the device has a spiking post-synaptic drain current ( I D ) that is a response to the V G input pulse and spontaneous decay of I D . A refractory period after the stimuli is observed, during which the I D hardly varies with the V G well-emulating the bio-synapse behavior. Short-term memory to long-term memory transition, paired-pulse facilitation, and post-tetanic potentiation are realized by adjusting the V G pulse waveform and number. The experimental results indicate that the amorphous HfO 2 NVFET is a potential candidate for artificial bio-synapse applications.