Intrinsic ion migration-induced susceptible two-dimensional phase-transition memristor with ultralow power consumption.

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) phase-transition memristors have demonstrated transformative potential for neuromorphic computing, yet challenges like high power consumption, limited endurance, and crystal damage from external ion intercalation persist. Here, we introduce a novel 2D phase-transition memristor leveraging a paradigm-shifting mechanism by exploiting the ultrafast intrinsic Cu⁺ ion migration within Cu₂S. This approach eliminates the need for external ion insertion, significantly reducing crystal damage and enabling exceptional cycling stability with over 400 DC cycles and 500 pulse cycles. The susceptible monoclinic-tetragonal phase-transition induced by intrinsic Cu⁺ migration achieves an unprecedented SET power consumption of 1 μW at 100 mV, significantly lower in currently reported phase-transition memristors. To further demonstrate the potential of intrinsic ion migration-induced (IIM) memristor, we simulated an IIM memristor crossbar array for image preprocessing in gesture recognition with a high SSIM value of 0.94, showcasing its potential for scalable neuromorphic hardware. This work establishes a new paradigm in low-power, high-performance phase-transition memristors, advancing their practical application in next-generation computing.