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Published on: October 28, 2025
Highly flexible vertical electrolyte-gated metal oxide transistors for neuromorphic electronics
Qing Ma1,2, Xuyang Feng1, Haoyang Wang1
1School of Electronic Science & Engineering, Southeast University, Jiangning, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211189, People's Republic of China.
Summary
High-performance, ultraflexible indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) were developed using a vertical architecture. This design overcomes previous limitations, enabling low-voltage operation for advanced biosensors and neuromorphic systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electronics Engineering
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Metal oxide-based electrolyte-gated transistors (EGTs) face limitations in transconductance and performance due to a trade-off between channel downscaling and electrical double layer (EDL) capacitance.
- Existing EGTs often exhibit inferior metrics compared to organic counterparts, hindering their application in low-power electronics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop high-performance and ultraflexible indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO) EGTs by overcoming the inherent limitations of conventional device architectures.
- To investigate the impact of device geometries on electrical properties and EDL capacitance in IGZO EGTs.
Main Methods:
- A vertical device architecture with nanoscale channel length was employed to decouple channel length from EDL formation area.
- Systematic examination of IGZO-electrode contact area, IGZO thickness, and semiconductor-electrode interface effects on device performance.
- Integration of optimized vertical EGTs (vEGTs) into inverter, NOR, and NAND logic circuits.
Main Results:
- Optimized vEGTs achieved high transconductance (up to 22.5 mS), an on/off current ratio of ~10^5, and ultralow operating voltages below 0.5 V.
- Demonstrated pronounced ultraflexibility, maintaining stable performance when bent to a radius of 0.3 mm.
- Successfully integrated vEGTs into logic circuits operating at voltages as low as 0.1 V and showcased a closed-loop neuromorphic system for adaptive control.
Conclusions:
- The vertical device architecture effectively decouples channel length from EDL capacitance, enabling high-performance IGZO EGTs.
- These vEGTs offer a promising platform for low-voltage, flexible, and power-efficient biosensors and neuromorphic systems.
- The developed technology facilitates adaptive and wireless control in wearable systems through integrated neuromorphic functionalities.
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