Doping-modulated lateral asymmetric Schottky diode as a high-performance self-powered synaptic device

Opt Express. 2023 Sep 11;31(19):31061-31071. doi: 10.1364/OE.498708.

Abstract

In the post-Moore era, the gradually saturated computational capability of conventional digital computers showing the opposite trend as the exponentially increasing data volumes imperatively required a platform or technology to break this bottleneck. Brain-inspired neuromorphic computing promises to inherently improve the efficiency of information processing and computation by means of the highly parallel hardware architecture to reduce global data transmission. Here, we demonstrate a compact device technology based on the barrier asymmetry to achieve zero-consumption self-powered synaptic devices. In order to tune the device behaviors, the typical chemical doping is used to tailor the asymmetry for energy harvesting. Finally, in our demonstrated devices, the open-circuit voltage (VOC) and power-conversion efficiency (PCE) can be modulated up to 0.77 V and 6%, respectively. Optimized photovoltaic features affords synaptic devices with an outstanding programming weight states, involving training facilitation, stimulus reinforce and consolidation. Based on self-powered system, this work further presents a highly available modulation scheme, which achieves excellent device behaviors while ensuring the zero-energy consumption.