A Polarization-Switching, Charge-Trapping, Modulated Arithmetic Logic Unit for In-Memory Computing Based on Ferroelectric Fin Field-Effect Transistors

Abstract

Nonvolatile logic devices are crucial for the development of logic-in-memory (LiM) technology to build the next-generation non-von Neumann computing architecture. Ferroelectric field-effect transistors (Fe FET) are one of the most promising candidates for LiMs because of high compatibility with mainstream silicon-based complementary metal-oxide semiconductor processes, nonvolatile memory, and low power consumption. However, because of the unipolar characteristics of a Fe FET, a nonlinear XOR or XNOR logic gate function is difficult to realize with a single device. In addition, because single Fe polarization switch modulation is available in the devices, a reconfigurable logic gate usually needs multiple devices to construct and realize fewer logic functions. Here, we introduced polarization-switching (PS) and charge-trapping (CT) effects in a single Fe FET and fabricated a multi-field-effect transistor with bipolar-like characteristics based on advanced 10 nm node fin field-effect transistors (PS-CT FinFET) with 9 nm thick Hf_0.5Zr_0.5O₂ films. The special hybrid effects of charge-trapping and polarization-switching enabled eight Boolean logic functions with a single PS-CT FinFET and 16 Boolean logic functions with two complementary PS-CT FinFETs were obtained with three operations. Furthermore, reconfigurable full 1 bit adder and subtractor functions were demonstrated by connecting only two <i>n</i>-type and two <i>p</i>-type PS-CT FinFET devices, indicating that the technology was promising for LiM applications.