Fully analogue in-memory neural computing via quantum tunneling effect

TL;DR

This paper introduces KANalogue, a fully analogue neural network using NDR devices to implement nonlinearities, achieving competitive accuracy on standard datasets with high efficiency and minimal parameters.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel fully analogue implementation of Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks using NDR devices for learnable nonlinearities, enabling scalable energy-efficient neural computation.

Findings

Achieves competitive accuracy on MNIST, FashionMNIST, CIFAR-10.

Uses fewer parameters and higher efficiency than analogue MLPs.

Approaches digital KAN performance under hardware constraints.

Abstract

Fully analogue neural computation requires hardware that can implement both linear and nonlinear transformations without digital assistance. While analogue in-memory computing efficiently realizes matrix-vector multiplication, the absence of learnable analogue nonlinearities remains a central bottleneck. Here we introduce KANalogue, a fully analogue realization of Kolmogorov-Arnold Networks (KANs) that instantiates univariate basis functions directly using negative-differential-resistance (NDR) devices. By mapping the intrinsic current-voltage characteristics of NDR devices to learnable coordinate-wise nonlinear functions, KANalogue embeds function approximation into device physics while preserving a fully analogue signal path. Using cold-metal tunnel diodes as a representative platform, we construct diverse nonlinear bases and combine them through crossbar-based analogue summation. Experiments on MNIST, FashionMNIST, and CIFAR-10 demonstrate that KANalogue achieves competitive accuracy with substantially fewer parameters and higher crossbar node efficiency than analogue MLPs, while approaching the performance of digital KANs under strict hardware constraints. The framework is not limited to a specific device technology and naturally generalizes to a broad class of NDR devices. These results establish a device-grounded route toward scalable, energy-efficient, fully analogue neural networks.