Generation of STDP with non-volatile tunnel-FET memory for large-scale and low-power spiking neural networks

Abstract

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have attracted considerable attention as next-generation neural networks. As SNNs consist of devices that have spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) characteristics, STDP is one of the critical characteristics we need to consider to implement an SNN. In this study, we generated the STDP of a biological synapse with non-volatile tunnel-field-effect-transistor (tunnel FET) memory that has a charge-storage layer and a tunnel FET structure. Tunnel FET is a promising structure to reduce the operation voltage owing to its steep sub-threshold slope. Therefore, the non-volatile tunnel-FET memory we propose enables the implementation of low-operation-voltage SNNs. This article reports the I-V, programming, and both symmetric and asymmetric STDP characteristics of a non-volatile tunnel-FET memory with p-channel-MOS-like operation.