Size-Independent Reconfigurable Logic Gate with Bismuth Oxide Based Photoelectrochemical Device

XOR gate, an important building block in computational circuits, is often constructed by combining other basic logic gates, and the hybridity inevitably leads to its complexity. A photoelectrochemical device could realize XOR function based on the current change of the photoelectrode; however, such signal is highly sensitive to photoelectrode size and therefore requires precise manufacturing at a high cost. Herein we developed a novel XOR gate based on the light-induced open-circuit potential (OCP) of the Bi₂O₃ photoelectrode. Surprisingly, the OCP of Bi₂O₃ does not increase with light intensity according to the traditional logarithmic relationship. Instead, an unusual decrease in OCP is observed at high light intensity, which is attributed to the dramatic light-induced increase in surface states that can be easily regulated by varying the oxygen partial pressure during reactive magnetron sputtering. Based on such a nonmonotonic variation of OCP, a facile Bi₂O₃-based gate is designed to realize the XOR function. Unlike the commonly used current signal, OCP is size independent, and therefore, the Bi₂O₃-based gate does not require high manufacturing accuracy. Moreover, in addition to XOR, the Bi₂O₃-based PEC gate also demonstrates great versatility in realizing other logic functions including AND, OR, NOT, NIH, NAND, and NOR. The strategy of modulating and applying nonmonotonic OCP signal opens a new avenue for designing size-independent reconfigurable logic gates at low manufacturing cost.