Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Near-infrared optoelectronic synapses based on a Te/α-In2Se3 heterojunction for neuromorphic computing

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Science China Information Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Neuromorphic computing based on artificial optoelectronic synapses has attracted considerable attention owing to its high time/power efficiency and parallel processing capability. However, existing devices are mainly suitable for only the visible range. Here, high-performance near-infrared optoelectronic memories and synapses were demonstrated using Te/α-In2Se3 heterostructures. Owing to the entangled ferroelectricity-semiconducting properties of α-In2Se3, whose ferroelectric polarizations can be switched by photocarriers that migrated from the Te near-infrared light absorber, the device could be set into a non-volatile high-resistance/low-resistance state through the application of positive gate voltages/near-infrared light pulses. Hence, the device could function as a high-performance photodetector, with a photoresponsive on/off ratio of 5.25 × 104/8.3 × 103 and a specific detectivity of 2.6 × 1011/7.5 × 1010 Jones at 1550/1940 nm. In addition, the device could function as a multi-state optoelectronic synapse with good stability and high linearity; moreover, using the device, we developed an optoelectronic artificial neural network with high recognition accuracies of 100% and 89.9% for a database composed of 64-pixel letters with 10% and 70% noise levels, respectively. Our work provides a feasible avenue for developing neuromorphic networks applicable in the infrared range.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Indiveri G, Liu S C. Memory and information processing in neuromorphic systems. Proc IEEE, 2015, 103: 1379–1397

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Yao P, Wu H, Gao B. Face classification using electronic synapses. Nat Commun, 2017, 8: 15199

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ielmini D, Wong H S P. In-memory computing with resistive switching devices. Nat Electron, 2018, 1: 333–343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zidan M A, Strachan J P, Lu W D. The future of electronics based on memristive systems. Nat Electron, 2018, 1: 22–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Yao P, Wu H, Gao B. Fully hardware-implemented memristor convolutional neural network. Nature, 2020, 577: 641–646

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Li C, Hu M, Li Y. Analogue signal and image processing with large memristor crossbars. Nat Electron, 2017, 1: 52–59

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Xia Q, Yang J J. Memristive crossbar arrays for brain-inspired computing. Nat Mater, 2019, 18: 309–323

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Tuma T, Pantazi A, Gallo M L. Stochastic phase-change neurons. Nat Nanotech, 2016, 11: 693–699

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Khan A I, Keshavarzi A, Datta S. The future of ferroelectric field-effect transistor technology. Nat Electron, 2020, 3: 588–597

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wan W, Kubendran R, Schaefer C. A compute-in-memory chip based on resistive random-access memory. Nature, 2022, 608: 504–512

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Kim M S, Kim M S, Lee G J. Bio-inspired artificial vision and neuromorphic image processing devices. Adv Mater Technologies, 2021, 7: 2100144

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Zhou F, Zhou Z, Chen J. Optoelectronic resistive random access memory for neuromorphic vision sensors. Nat Nanotechnol, 2019, 14: 776–782

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Jin C, Liu W, Xu Y. Artificial vision adaption mimicked by an optoelectrical In2O3 transistor array. Nano Lett, 2022, 22: 3372–3379

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Hou Y X, Li Y, Zhang Z C. Large-scale and flexible optical synapses for neuromorphic computing and integrated visible information sensing memory processing. ACS Nano, 2021, 15: 1497–1508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Kolb H. How the retina works. Am Sci, 2003, 91: 28–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Yan Z Z, Jiang Z H, Lu J P. Interfacial charge transfer in WS2 monolayer/CsPbBr3 microplate heterostructure. Front Phys, 2018, 13: 138115

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Chen Y, Tan C, Wang Z, et al. Momentum-matching and band-alignment van der Waals heterostructures for high-efficiency infrared photodetection. Sci Adv, 2022, 8: eabq1781

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Lee S, Peng R, Wu C. Programmable black phosphorus image sensor for broadband optoelectronic edge computing. Nat Commun, 2022, 13: 1485

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Jiao H, Wang X, Chen Y, et al. HgCdTe/black phosphorus van der Waals heterojunction for high-performance polarization-sensitive midwave infrared photodetector. Sci Adv, 2022, 8: eabn1811

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Li N, Wen Y, Cheng R. Strongly coupled van der Waals heterostructures for high-performance infrared phototransistor. Appl Phys Lett, 2019, 114: 103501

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Xu G, Liu D, Li S. Binary-ternary transition metal chalcogenides interlayer coupling in van der Waals type-II heterostructure for visible-infrared photodetector with efficient suppression dark currents. Nano Res, 2021, 15: 2689–2696

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Luo P, Liu C, Lin J. Molybdenum disulfide transistors with enlarged van der Waals gaps at their dielectric interface via oxygen accumulation. Nat Electron, 2022, 5: 849–858

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Tong L, Huang X, Wang P. Stable mid-infrared polarization imaging based on quasi-2D tellurium at room temperature. Nat Commun, 2020, 11: 2308

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wang Y, Qiu G, Wang R. Field-effect transistors made from solution-grown two-dimensional tellurene. Nat Electron, 2018, 1: 228–236

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Zhao C, Tan C, Lien D H. Evaporated tellurium thin films for p-type field-effect transistors and circuits. Nat Nanotechnol, 2020, 15: 53–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Hirayama M, Okugawa R, Ishibashi S. Weyl node and spin texture in trigonal tellurium and selenium. Phys Rev Lett, 2015, 114: 206401

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Qiu G, Niu C, Wang Y. Quantum hall effect of Weyl fermions in n-type semiconducting tellurene. Nat Nanotechnol, 2020, 15: 585–591

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Martin L W, Rappe A M. Thin-film ferroelectric materials and their applications. Nat Rev Mater, 2016, 2: 16087

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Chen C, Yang M, Liu S, et al. Bio-inspired neurons based on novel leaky-FeFET with ultra-low hardware cost and advanced functionality for all-ferroelectric neural network. In: Proceedings of Symposium on VLSI Technology, 2019

  30. Xiao J, Zhu H, Wang Y. Intrinsic two-dimensional ferroelectricity with dipole locking. Phys Rev Lett, 2018, 120: 227601

    Article  Google Scholar 

  31. Si M, Saha A K, Gao S. A ferroelectric semiconductor field-effect transistor. Nat Electron, 2019, 2: 580–586

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Wang L, Wang X, Zhang Y. Exploring ferroelectric switching in α-In2Se3 for neuromorphic computing. Adv Funct Mater, 2020, 30: 2004609

    Article  Google Scholar 

  33. Xue F, Hu W, Lee K C. Room-temperature ferroelectricity in hexagonally layered α-In2Se3 nanoflakes down to the monolayer limit. Adv Funct Mater, 2018, 28: 1803738

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Ding W, Zhu J, Wang Z. Prediction of intrinsic two-dimensional ferroelectrics in In2Se3 and other III2-VI3 van der Waals materials. Nat Commun, 2017, 8: 14956

    Article  Google Scholar 

  35. Hu H, Sun Y, Chai M. Room-temperature out-of-plane and in-plane ferroelectricity of two-dimensional β-InSe nanoflakes. Appl Phys Lett, 2019, 114: 252903

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Chang K, Liu J, Lin H. Discovery of robust in-plane ferroelectricity in atomic-thick SnTe. Science, 2016, 353: 274–278

    Article  Google Scholar 

  37. Li T, Lipatov A, Lu H. Optical control of polarization in ferroelectric heterostructures. Nat Commun, 2018, 9: 3344

    Article  Google Scholar 

  38. Wu S, Chen Y, Wang X. Ultra-sensitive polarization-resolved black phosphorus homojunction photodetector defined by ferroelectric domains. Nat Commun, 2022, 13: 3198

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Xu K, Jiang W, Gao X. Optical control of ferroelectric switching and multifunctional devices based on van der Waals ferroelectric semiconductors. Nanoscale, 2020, 12: 23488–23496

    Article  Google Scholar 

  40. Xue F, He X, Liu W. Optoelectronic ferroelectric domain-wall memories made from a single van Der Waals ferroelectric. Adv Funct Mater, 2020, 30: 2004206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  41. Hu W J, Wang Z, Yu W. Optically controlled electroresistance and electrically controlled photovoltage in ferroelectric tunnel junctions. Nat Commun, 2016, 7: 10808

    Article  Google Scholar 

  42. Long X, Tan H, Sánchez F. Non-volatile optical switch of resistance in photoferroelectric tunnel junctions. Nat Commun, 2021, 12: 382

    Article  Google Scholar 

  43. Yang J, Wang F, Guo J. Ultrasensitive ferroelectric semiconductor phototransistors for photon-level detection. Adv Funct Mater, 2022, 32: 2205468

    Article  Google Scholar 

  44. Liu K, Zhang T, Dang B. An optoelectronic synapse based on α-In2Se3 with controllable temporal dynamics for multimode and multiscale reservoir computing. Nat Electron, 2022, 5: 761–773

    Article  Google Scholar 

  45. Yao Y, Zhan X, Ding C. One-step method to simultaneously synthesize separable Te and GeTe nanosheets. Nano Res, 2022, 15: 6736–6742

    Article  Google Scholar 

  46. Lee C H, Lee G H, van der Zande A M. Atomically thin p-n junctions with van der Waals heterointerfaces. Nat Nanotech, 2014, 9: 676–681

    Article  Google Scholar 

  47. Wang F, Wang Z, Xu K. Tunable GaTe-MoS2 van der Waals p-n junctions with novel optoelectronic performance. Nano Lett, 2015, 15: 7558–7566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  48. Kreisel J, Alexe M, Thomas P A. A photoferroelectric material is more than the sum of its parts. Nat Mater, 2012, 11: 260

    Article  Google Scholar 

  49. Wang J L, Vilquin B, Barrett N. Screening of ferroelectric domains on BaTiO3 (001) surface by ultraviolet photo-induced charge and dissociative water adsorption. Appl Phys Lett, 2012, 101: 092902

    Article  Google Scholar 

  50. Stolichnov I, Tagantsev A, Setter N. Crossover between nucleation-controlled kinetics and domain wall motion kinetics of polarization reversal in ferroelectric films. Appl Phys Lett, 2003, 83: 3362–3364

    Article  Google Scholar 

  51. Takai I, Matsubara H, Soga M. Single-photon avalanche diode with enhanced NIR-sensitivity for automotive LIDAR systems. Sensors, 2016, 16: 459

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Key R&D Program of China (Grant Nos. 2021YFA1201500, 2018YFA0703700), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91964203, 61974036, 62274046, 22179029, 12204122), Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant Nos. XDB44000000), Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2042021kf0067), and CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication. The authors also gratefully acknowledge the support of Youth Innovation Promotion Association CAS.

Author information

Author notes

  1. Yan T and Cai Y C have the same contribution to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. CAS Key Laboratory of Nanosystem and Hierarchical Fabrication, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology, Beijing, 100190, China

    Tao Yan, Yuchen Cai, Yanrong Wang, Jia Yang, Shuhui Li, Xueying Zhan, Fengmei Wang, Feng Wang & Zhenxing Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of Carbon Fiber and Functional Polymers, Ministry of Education, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, 100029, China

    Tao Yan

  3. Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China

    Yuchen Cai, Yanrong Wang, Jia Yang, Shuhui Li, Xueying Zhan, Fengmei Wang, Feng Wang & Zhenxing Wang

  4. Key Laboratory of Artificial Micro- and Nano-Structures of Ministry of Education, School of Physics and Technology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China

    Ruiqing Cheng & Jun He

Authors
  1. Tao Yan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yuchen Cai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Yanrong Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jia Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Shuhui Li
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Xueying Zhan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Fengmei Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Ruiqing Cheng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Feng Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Jun He
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Zhenxing Wang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Feng Wang or Zhenxing Wang.

Additional information

Supporting information

Figures S1–S16. The supporting information is available online at info.scichina.com and link.springer.com. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

Supporting Information

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yan, T., Cai, Y., Wang, Y. et al. Near-infrared optoelectronic synapses based on a Te/α-In2Se3 heterojunction for neuromorphic computing. Sci. China Inf. Sci. 66, 160404 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-022-3695-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11432-022-3695-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation