Atomic Scale Photodetection Enabled by a Memristive Junction

Abstract

The optical control of atomic relocations in a metallic quantum point contact is of great interest because it addresses the fundamental limit of "CMOS scaling". Here, by developing a platform for combined electronics and photonics on the atomic scale, we demonstrate an optically controlled electronic switch based on the relocation of atoms. It is shown through experiments and simulations how the interplay between electrical, optical, and light-induced thermal forces can reversibly relocate a few atoms and enable atomic photodetection with a digital electronic response, a high resistance extinction ratio (70 dB), and a low OFF-state current (10 pA) at room temperature. Additionally, the device introduced here displays an optically induced pinched hysteretic current (optical memristor). The photodetector has been tested in an experiment with real optical data at 0.5 Gbit/s, from which an eye diagram visualizing millions of detection cycles could be produced. This demonstrates the durability of the realized atomic scale devices and establishes them as alternatives to traditional photodetectors.

Recent Advances of Quantum Conductance in Memristors

“…Remarkably, reversible digital optical switching with an extinction ratio of 9.2 dB and operation at room temperature up to MHz with femtojoule (fJ) power consumption for a single switch operation has been demonstrated. Later on, they proposed an optically controlled electronic switch based on the redistribution of a few atoms on the atomic scale for fast atomic photodetection (Figure b) . The photodetector consists of a silicon waveguide for input light propagating and a Ag quantum point contact constructed by applying voltage to the Ag/α‐SiO 2 /Pt memristor.…”

Ultra compact electrochemical metallization cells offering reproducible atomic scale memristive switching

“…In this regard, memristive devices might play an essential role toward the further development of large-scale neuromorphic computer systems as well as energy-efficient memory devices for the Internet of Things (IoT). Already, nonvolatile memristive devices have attracted attention for various applications such as high-density storage units 1,2 , logical circuits 3,4 , photonic systems 5,6 , or neuromorphic computing elements 7,8 . Also, volatile memristive devices have shown many applications related to low refresh dynamic memories 9 , shortterm-memories (STM) 10 , selectors for crossbar arrays 11,12 , and steep threshold slope transistors 11 .…”

Nanoparticle Dynamics in Oxide‐Based Memristive Devices

“…The authors could show optical modulation between a few kHz (Figure c) up to 1 MHz with no more than 12.5 fJ bit −1 (Figure b) required to switch the device . Further improvement of the technique allowed to increase the bandwidth up to 0.5 Gbit s −1 . Such a low energy consumption (at high speeds) for optical modulation is three orders of magnitude better than conventional LiNbO 3 ‐based Mach–Zehnder interferometer modulators, which typically operate at 10 pJ bit −1 .…”

“…[60] Further improvement of the technique allowed to increase the bandwidth up to 0.5 Gbit s À1 . [61] Such a low energy consumption (at high speeds) for optical modulation is three orders of magnitude better than conventional LiNbO 3 -based Mach-Zehnder interferometer modulators, which typically operate at 10 pJ bit À1 . [62] However, for computing based on optical switching, the bandwidth needs to be increased significantly (above some 50 Gb s À1 [63] ) to compete, for example, against CMOS-based advanced hybrid electro-optical microprocessors.…”