Nonvolatile Multi-level Memory and Boolean Logic Gates Based on a Single Memtranstor

TL;DR

This paper introduces a memtranstor device capable of both multi-level nonvolatile memory storage and Boolean logic operations, utilizing ferroelectric polarization control to perform logic functions within a single heterostructure.

Contribution

It demonstrates for the first time that a single memtranstor can implement nonvolatile memory and logic gates like NOR and NAND through voltage-controlled ferroelectric polarization reversal.

Findings

The memtranstor can perform logic operations with voltage pulses.

The device exhibits multi-level nonvolatile memory states.

Logic states are determined by the polarization reversal mechanism.

Abstract

Memtranstor that correlates charge and magnetic flux via nonlinear magnetoelectric effects has a great potential in developing next-generation nonvolatile devices. In addition to multi-level nonvolatile memory, we demonstrate here that nonvolatile logic gates such as NOR and NAND can be implemented in a single memtranstor made of the Ni/PMN-PT/Ni heterostructure. After applying two sequent voltage pulses (X1, X2) as the logic inputs on the memtranstor, the output magnetoelectric voltage can be positive high (logic "1"), positive low (logic "0"), or negative (logic "0"), depending on the levels of X1 and X2. The underlying physical mechanism is related to the complete or partial reversal of ferroelectric polarization controlled by inputting selective voltage pulses, which determines the magnitude and sign of the magnetoelectric voltage coefficient. The combined functions of both memory and logic could enable the memtranstor as a promising candidate for future computing systems beyond von Neumann architecture.