Optoelectronic Synapse Based on 2D Electron Gas in Stoichiometry‐Controlled Oxide Heterostructures

Abstract

AbstractEmulating synaptic functionalities in optoelectronic devices is significant in developing artificial visual‐perception systems and neuromorphic photonic computing. Persistent photoconductivity (PPC) in metal oxides provides a facile way to realize the optoelectronic synaptic devices, but the PPC performance is often limited due to the oxygen vacancy defects that release excess conduction electrons without external stimuli. Herein, a high‐performance optoelectronic synapse based on the stoichiometry‐controlled LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) heterostructure is developed. By increasing La/Al ratio up to 1.057:1, the PPC is effectively enhanced but suppressed the background conductivity at the LAO/STO interface, achieving strong synaptic behaviors. The spectral noise analyses reveal that the synaptic behaviors are attributed to the cation‐related point defects and their charge compensation mechanism near the LAO/STO interface. The short‐term and long‐term plasticity is demonstrated, including the paired‐pulse facilitation, in the La‐rich LAO/STO device upon exposure to UV light pulses. As proof of concepts, two essential synaptic functionalities, the pulse‐number‐dependent plasticity and the self‐noise cancellation, are emulated using the 5 × 5 array of La‐rich LAO/STO synapses. Beyond the typical oxygen deficiency control, the results show how harnessing the cation stoichiometry can be used to design oxide heterostructures for advanced optoelectronic synapses and neuromorphic applications.