Logic-in-Memory Based on an Atomically Thin Semiconductor

The growing importance of applications based on machine learning is driving the need to develop dedicated, energy-efficient electronic hardware. Compared with von-Neumann architectures, brain-inspired in-memory computing uses the same basic device structure for logic operations and data storage(1–3), thus promising to reduce the energy cost of data-centric computing significantly(4). While there is ample research focused on exploring new device architectures, the engineering of material platforms suitable for such device designs remains a challenge. Two-dimensional materials(5,6) such as semiconducting MoS2 could stand out as a promising candidate to face this obstacle thanks to their exceptional electrical and mechanical properties(7–9). Here, we explore large-area grown MoS2 as an active channel material for developing logic-in-memory devices and circuits based on floating-gate field-effect transistors (FGFET). The conductance of our FGFETs can be precisely and continuously tuned, allowing us to use them as building blocks for reconfigurable logic circuits where logic operations can be directly performed using the memory elements. After demonstrating a programmable NOR gate, we show that this design can be simply extended to implement more complex programmable logic and functionally complete sets of functions. Our findings highlight the potential of atomically thin semiconductors for the development of next-generation low-power electronics.