A back-end, CMOS compatible ferroelectric Field Effect Transistor for synaptic weights

Abstract

Neuromorphic computing architectures enable the dense co-location of memory and processing elements within a single circuit. This co-location removes the communication bottleneck of transferring data between separate memory and computing units as in standard von Neuman architectures for data-critical applications including machine learning. The essential building blocks of neuromorphic systems are non-volatile synaptic elements such as memristors. Key memristor properties include a suitable non-volatile resistance range, continuous linear resistance modulation and symmetric switching. In this work, we demonstrate voltage-controlled, symmetric and analog potentiation and depression of a ferroelectric Hf${}_{57}$Zr${}_{43}$O${}_2$ (HZO) field effect transistor (FeFET) with good linearity. Our FeFET operates with a low writing energy (fJ) and fast programming time (40 ns). Retention measurements have been done over 4-bits depth with low noise (1%) in the tungsten oxide (WO${}_x$) read out channel. By adjusting the channel thickness from 15nm to 8nm, the on/off ratio of the FeFET can be engineered from 1% to 200% with an on-resistance ideally >100 kOhm, depending on the channel geometry. The device concept is using earth-abundant materials, and is compatible with a back end of line (BEOL) integration into complementary metal-oxidesemiconductor (CMOS) processes. It has therefore a great potential for the fabrication of high density, large-scale integrated arrays of artificial analog synapses.

14 pages, 5 figures, supplementary information available, submitted to ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces

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Cited by in corpus (5)

• Logic Compatible High-Performance Ferroelectric Transistor Memory
• High-Conductance, Ohmic-like HfZrO${}_4$ Ferroelectric Memristor
• A Back-End-Of-Line Compatible, Ferroelectric Analog Non-Volatile Memory
• A BEOL Compatible, 2-Terminals, Ferroelectric Analog Non-Volatile Memory
• A 120dB Programmable-Range On-Chip Pulse Generator for Characterizing Ferroelectric Devices