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Research Highlight | Center for Nanoscale Materials

A pathway to neuromorphic computing and nonvolatile memory applications

In a study published in ACS Nano, researchers show the potential of ultraporous materials in neuromorphic computing.

Scientific Achievement

Sequential infiltration synthesis was used to demonstrate ultraporous (>70%) aluminum oxide dielectrics for non-volatile memories with unprecedented combinations of ultrahigh on/off ratio (>109) and ultralow operating voltage (±600 mV).

Significance and Impact

These findings show the use of an ultraporous material as a pathway for devices that are promising for neuromorphic computing and nonvolatile memory elements.

Research Details

  • Tests demonstrated fast switching, pulsed endurance for up to one million cycles, and high temperature retention up to 104 seconds.
  • Center for Nanoscale Materials (CNM) capabilities included the Carbon high performance computing cluster, transmission electron microscopy, electron beam lithography and photolithography.

Work was performed in part at the CNM.

DOI10.1021/acsnano.0c03201

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About Argonne’s Center for Nanoscale Materials
The Center for Nanoscale Materials is one of the five DOE Nanoscale Science Research Centers, premier national user facilities for interdisciplinary research at the nanoscale supported by the DOE Office of Science. Together the NSRCs comprise a suite of complementary facilities that provide researchers with state-of-the-art capabilities to fabricate, process, characterize and model nanoscale materials, and constitute the largest infrastructure investment of the National Nanotechnology Initiative. The NSRCs are located at DOE’s Argonne, Brookhaven, Lawrence Berkeley, Oak Ridge, Sandia and Los Alamos National Laboratories. For more information about the DOE NSRCs, please visit https://​sci​ence​.osti​.gov/​U​s​e​r​-​F​a​c​i​l​i​t​i​e​s​/​U​s​e​r​-​F​a​c​i​l​i​t​i​e​s​-​a​t​-​a​-​G​lance.

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