Memory and Synaptic Devices Based on Emerging 2D Ferroelectricity

Abstract

Memory devices are an essential part of modern electronics. Efforts to move beyond the traditional "read" and "write" of digital information in volatile and non-volatile memory devices are leading to the rapid growth of neuromorphic technology. There is a growing demand for memory devices with continuous memory states with various retention times and greater integration density with more energy-efficient mechanisms. Two types of memory devices (i.e., non-volatile digital memory and neuro-synaptic devices) have been extensively investigated with emerging materials. Among numerous materials for such memory devices, in this review, the authors focus on 2D ferroelectric materials for promising memory and synaptic devices. Three types of memory devices based on 2D ferroelectric materials are classified and discussed here: 1) ferroelectric gating of semiconducting channels, 2) active ferroelectric channels, and 3) ferroelectric tunnel junction devices. It is known that atomically thin geometry competes with ferroelectricity, which can degrade the quality of the devices based on atomically thin ferroelectric materials. Various efforts to resolve the fundamental issue with emerging 2D ferroelectric materials and how they can be used as a critical element for memory and synaptic devices are surveyed.