Thermal Expansion-Engineered Ferroelectric Transistor Arrays for Scalable Edge AI Computing

Conventional von Neumann architectures are fundamentally limited by the separation of memory and logic, leading to energy and latency bottlenecks in AI workloads. Here, we present a reconfigurable ferroelectric transistor platform based on a metal-ferroelectric-metal-insulator-semiconductor (MFMIS) structure capable of switching between volatile and nonvolatile modes via gate metal engineering. By selecting tungsten (W) or titanium nitride (TiN) as gate electrodes, we modulate interfacial strain and work function to tailor ferroelectric switching in a fixed Hf<sub>0</sub>.<sub>5</sub>Zr<sub>0</sub>.<sub>5</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (HZO) layer. W-gated MFMIS-FeFETs exhibit a large memory window (∼11 V), >10<sup>6</sup> on/off ratio, 10<sup>12</sup> endurance cycles, and excellent uniformity across 350 devices, with 22 programmable conductance states and robust synaptic behavior. Leveraging these characteristics, a hardware-aware VGG-8 convolutional neural network simulation for CIFAR-10 classification achieved 97.2% accuracy under realistic device nonidealities. Additionally, edge detection and feature extraction were experimentally realized in FeFET arrays via analog-domain convolution using differential kernel encoding. These results validate in-memory multiply-accumulate operations, alleviating von Neumann bottlenecks while enhancing energy efficiency. This work establishes reconfigurable MFMIS-FeFET arrays as a scalable and low-power platform for neuromorphic and compute-in-memory architectures, enabling monolithic integration of memory and logic for intelligent edge systems and beyond-CMOS computing.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
ACS Nano
Published
2026-01-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1021/acsnano.5c14095
Primary Topic
Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00
Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Thermal Expansion-Engineered Ferroelectric Transistor Arrays for Scalable Edge AI Computing

Dongho Lee, Taesung Kim, Seowoo Son, Sihoon Son et al.
ACS Nano
Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices
article

Thermal Expansion-Engineered Ferroelectric Transistor Arrays for Scalable Edge AI Computing

Dongho Lee, Taesung Kim, Seowoo Son, Sihoon Son, Hyunbin Choi, Geonwook Kim, Jinhyoung Lee, Hyunho Seok, Gunhyoung Kim, Hyunho Kim
article en

Abstract

Conventional von Neumann architectures are fundamentally limited by the separation of memory and logic, leading to energy and latency bottlenecks in AI workloads. Here, we present a reconfigurable ferroelectric transistor platform based on a metal-ferroelectric-metal-insulator-semiconductor (MFMIS) structure capable of switching between volatile and nonvolatile modes via gate metal engineering. By selecting tungsten (W) or titanium nitride (TiN) as gate electrodes, we modulate interfacial strain and work function to tailor ferroelectric switching in a fixed Hf<sub>0</sub>.<sub>5</sub>Zr<sub>0</sub>.<sub>5</sub>O<sub>2</sub> (HZO) layer. W-gated MFMIS-FeFETs exhibit a large memory window (∼11 V), >10<sup>6</sup> on/off ratio, 10<sup>12</sup> endurance cycles, and excellent uniformity across 350 devices, with 22 programmable conductance states and robust synaptic behavior. Leveraging these characteristics, a hardware-aware VGG-8 convolutional neural network simulation for CIFAR-10 classification achieved 97.2% accuracy under realistic device nonidealities. Additionally, edge detection and feature extraction were experimentally realized in FeFET arrays via analog-domain convolution using differential kernel encoding. These results validate in-memory multiply-accumulate operations, alleviating von Neumann bottlenecks while enhancing energy efficiency. This work establishes reconfigurable MFMIS-FeFET arrays as a scalable and low-power platform for neuromorphic and compute-in-memory architectures, enabling monolithic integration of memory and logic for intelligent edge systems and beyond-CMOS computing.

ACS NanoVol. 20(5)
Institute of Nanotechnology (GB), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (US), Sungkyunkwan University (KR)
Affordable and clean energy
Openalex Percentile: Top 76%
Ferroelectric and Negative Capacitance Devices
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.