Quantum tunnelling

Quantum mechanics

Memristor

Engineering

Non-volatile memory

Materials science

Operating system

Computer science

Ferroelectricity

Laser

Physics

Nanotechnology

Dielectric

Optics

Switching time

Neuromorphic engineering

Nanosecond

Cache

Tunnel junction

Memory hierarchy

Electrode

Artificial neural network

Optoelectronics

Machine learning

Ultrashort pulse

Electrical engineering

Nature Communications

Next-generation non-volatile memories with ultrafast speed, low power consumption, and high density are highly desired in the era of big data. Here, we report a high performance memristor based on a Ag/BaTiO 3 /Nb:SrTiO 3 ferroelectric tunnel junction (FTJ) with the fastest operation speed (600 ps) and the highest number of states (32 states or 5 bits) per cell among the reported FTJs. The sub-nanosecond resistive switching maintains up to 358 K, and the write current density is as low as 4 × 10 3 A cm −2 . The functionality of spike-timing-dependent plasticity served as a solid synaptic device is also obtained with ultrafast operation. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that a Nb:SrTiO 3 electrode with a higher carrier concentration and a metal electrode with lower work function tend to improve the operation speed. These results may throw light on the way for overcoming the storage performance gap between different levels of the memory hierarchy and developing ultrafast neuromorphic computing systems.

Sub-nanosecond memristor based on ferroelectric tunnel junction