Critical band-to-band-tunnelling based optoelectronic memory

Neuromorphic vision hardware, embedded with multiple functions, has recently emerged as a potent platform for machine vision. To realize memory in sensor functions, reconfigurable and non-volatile manipulation of photocarriers is highly desirable. However, previous technologies bear mechanism challenges, such as the ambiguous optoelectronic memory mechanism and high potential barrier, resulting in a limited response speed and a high operating voltage. Here, for the first time, we propose a critical band-to-band tunnelling (BTBT) based device that combines sensing, integration and memory functions. The nearly infinitesimal barrier facilitates the tunnelling process, resulting in a broadband application range (940 nm). Furthermore, the observation of dual negative differential resistance (NDR) points confirms that the critical BTBT of photocarriers contributes to the sub-microsecond photomemory speed. Since the photomemory speed, with no motion blur, is important for motion detection, the critical BTBT memory is expected to enable moving target tracking and recognition, underscoring its superiority in intelligent perception. © The Author(s) 2025.