Abstract
Aside from recent advances in artificial intelligence (AI) models, specialized AI hardware is crucial for addressing large volumes of unstructured and dynamic data. Conventional complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-based AI hardware faces several critical challenges including scaling limitations, the separation of computation and memory units, and overall system energy efficiency. While emerging materials have been proposed to overcome these limitations, issues such as scalability, reproducibility, and compatibility remain critical obstacles. Here, we demonstrate polymorphic electronic devices with programmable transistor, memristor, and memcapacitor functionalities by manipulating the quasi-two-dimensional electron gas in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures using lateral gates. A circuit utilizing transistor and memcapacitor functionalities exhibits digit recognition, enabling implementation in physical reservoir computing. An integrated circuit incorporating transistor and memristor functionalities performs logic operations with in-situ output storage and supports advanced reconfigurable synaptic logic operations for multi-input decision-making tasks such as patient monitoring. Our findings pave the way for oxide-based monolithic integrated circuits in a scalable, silicon-compatible, energy-efficient single platform for polymorphic and neuromorphic computing.
Data availability
The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding authors upon request.
References
Jones, N. How to stop data centers from gobbling up the world’s electricity. Nature 561, 163–166 (2018).
Crawford, K. Generative AI’s environmental costs are soaring-and mostly secret. Nature 626, 693 (2024).
Sevilla, J. et al. Compute trends across three eras of machine learning. In: 2022 International Joint Conference on Neural Networks (IJCNN), 1–8 (IEEE, 2022).
Shalf, J. M. & Leland, R. Computing beyond Moore’s law. Computer 48, 14–23 (2015).
Bespalov, V., Dyuzhev, N. & Kireev, V. Y. Possibilities and limitations of CMOS Technology for the production of various Microelectronic systems and devices. Nanobiotechnol. Rep. 17, 24–38 (2022).
Hentrich, D., Oruklu, E. & Saniie, J. Polymorphic computing: definition, trends, and a new agent-based architecture. Circuits Syst. 2, 358–364 (2011).
Raitza, M. et al. Exploiting transistor-level reconfiguration to optimize combinational circuits. In: Design, Automation & Test in Europe Conference & Exhibition (DATE), 2017, 338–343 (IEEE, 2017).
Tang, J. et al. Bridging biological and artificial neural networks with emerging neuromorphic devices: fundamentals, progress, and challenges. Adv. Mater. 31, 1902761 (2019).
Yang, R., Huang, H.-M. & Guo, X. Memristive synapses and neurons for bioinspired computing. Adv. Electron. Mater. 5, 1900287 (2019).
Danial, L. et al. Two-terminal floating-gate transistors with a low-power memristive operation mode for analogue neuromorphic computing. Nat. Electron. 2, 596–605 (2019).
Du, C. et al. Reservoir computing using dynamic memristors for temporal information processing. Nat. Commun. 8, 2204 (2017).
Shchanikov, S. et al. Designing a bidirectional, adaptive neural interface incorporating machine learning capabilities and memristor-enhanced hardware. Chaos Soliton Fract. 142, 110504 (2021).
Wang, Y. et al. Boolean logic computing based on a neuromorphic transistor. Adv. Funct. Mater. 33, 2305791 (2023).
Stone, H. S. A logic-in-memory computer. IEEE Trans. Comput. 100, 73–78 (1970).
Choi, Y. et al. Physically defined long-term and short-term synapses for the development of reconfigurable analog-type operators capable of performing health care tasks. Sci. Adv. 9, 5946 (2023).
Fuller, E. J. et al. Parallel programming of an ionic floating-gate memory array for scalable neuromorphic computing. Science 364, 570–574 (2019).
Chen, W.-H. et al. CMOS-integrated memristive non-volatile computing-in-memory for AI edge processors. Nat. Electron. 2, 420–428 (2019).
Cao, G. et al. 2d material based synaptic devices for neuromorphic computing. Adv. Funct. Mater. 31, 2005443 (2021).
Liu, C. et al. Two-dimensional materials for next-generation computing technologies. Nat. Nanotechnol. 15, 545–557 (2020).
Huang, W. et al. Zero-power optoelectronic synaptic devices. Nano Energy 73, 104790 (2020).
Dai, S. et al. Light-stimulated synaptic devices utilizing the interfacial effect of organic field-effect transistors. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 10, 21472–21480 (2018).
Chen, Y. et al. Solar-blind SnO2 nanowire photo-synapses for associative learning and coincidence detection. Nano Energy 62, 393–400 (2019).
Goswami, P. et al. Fabrication of a highly sensitive visible photodetector based on SnS2 terrazzo-like structure for weak signal detection. Opt. Mater. 145, 114406 (2023).
Singh, D. K., Pant, R. K., Nanda, K. K. & Krupanidhi, S. B. Pulsed laser deposition for conformal growth of MoS2 on GaN nanorods for highly efficient self-powered photodetection. Mater. Adv. 3, 6343–6351 (2022).
Tang, H. et al. Tunable band gaps and optical absorption properties of bent MoS2 nanoribbons. Sci. Rep. 12, 3008 (2022).
Peng, R. et al. Programmable graded doping for reconfigurable molybdenum ditelluride devices. Nat. Electron. 6, 852–861 (2023).
Tsai, M.-Y. et al. A reconfigurable transistor and memory based on a two-dimensional heterostructure and photoinduced trapping. Nat. Electron. 6, 755–764 (2023).
Weber, W. et al. Reconfigurable nanowire electronics - a review. Solid-State Electron. 102, 12–24 (2014).
Singh, D. K. & Gupta, G. Brain-inspired computing: can 2D materials bridge the gap between biological and artificial neural networks? Mater. Adv. 5, 3158–3172 (2024).
Zhang, Z. et al. 2D materials and van der Waals heterojunctions for neuromorphic computing. Neuromorphic Comput. Eng. 2, 032004 (2022).
Yoo, S. et al. Efficient data processing using tunable entropy-stabilized oxide memristors. Nat. Electron. 7, 466–474 (2024).
Rao, M. et al. Thousands of conductance levels in memristors integrated on CMOS. Nature 615, 823–829 (2023).
Demasius, K.-U., Kirschen, A. & Parkin, S. Energy-efficient memcapacitor devices for neuromorphic computing. Nat. Electron. 4, 748–756 (2021).
Ohtomo, A. & Hwang, H. A high-mobility electron gas at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerface. Nature 427, 423–426 (2004).
Mannhart, J. et al. Two-dimensional electron gases at oxide interfaces. MRS Bull. 33, 1027–1034 (2008).
Bi, F. et al. Electro-mechanical response of top-gated LaAlO3/SrTiO3. J. Appl. Phys. 119, 02530 (2016).
Goswami, S., Mulazimoglu, E., Vandersypen, L. M. & Caviglia, A. D. Nanoscale electrostatic control of oxide interfaces. Nano Lett. 15, 2627–2632 (2015).
Giampietri, A., Drera, G. & Sangaletti, L. Band alignment at heteroepitaxial perovskite oxide interfaces. experiments, methods, and perspectives. Adv. Mater. Interfaces 4, 1700144 (2017).
Choe, D. et al. Gate-tunable giant nonreciprocal charge transport in noncentrosymmetric oxide interfaces. Nat. Commun. 10, 4510 (2019).
Schneider, C. W., Thiel, S., Hammerl, G., Richter, C. & Mannhart, J. Microlithography of electron gases formed at interfaces in oxide heterostructures. Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 122101 (2006).
Miller, K. et al. Room temperature memristive switching in nano-patterned LaAlO3/SrTiO3 wires with laterally defined gates. Appl. Phys. Lett. 118, 153502 (2021).
Monteiro, A. et al. Side gate tunable Josephson junctions at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. Nano Lett. 17, 715–720 (2017).
Stornaiuolo, D. et al. Weak localization and spin-orbit interaction in side-gate field effect devices at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. Phys. Rev. B 90, 235426 (2014).
Maier, P. et al. Gate-tunable, normally-on to normally-off memristance transition in patterned LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 093506 (2017).
Di Ventra, M., Pershin, Y. V. & Chua, L. O. Circuit elements with memory: Memristors, memcapacitors, and meminductors. Proc. IEEE 97, 1717–1724 (2009).
Wu, S. et al. Electrically induced colossal capacitance enhancement in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures. NPG Asia Mater. 5, 65–65 (2013).
Kim, S. K. et al. Electric-field-induced shift in the threshold voltage in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures. Sci. Rep. 5, 8023 (2015).
Vonk, V. et al. Polar-discontinuity-retaining a-site intermixing and vacancies at srtio 3/laalo 3 interfaces. Phys. Rev. B—Condens. Matter Mater. Phys. 85, 045401 (2012).
Trier, F. et al. Degradation of the interfacial conductivity in laalo3/srtio3 heterostructures during storage at controlled environments. Solid State Ion. 230, 12–15 (2013).
Silva, R. S. W. et al. 2D canonical approach for beating the Boltzmann tyranny using memory. arXiv https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2510.24883 (2025).
Lopez-Richard, V., Wengenroth Silva, R. S., Lipan, O. & Hartmann, F. Tuning the conductance topology in solids. J. Appl. Phys. 133, 134901 (2023).
Lopez-Richard, V. et al. Beyond equivalent circuit representations in nonlinear systems with inherent memory. J. Appl. Phys. 136, 165103 (2024).
Silva, R. S. W., Hartmann, F. & Lopez-Richard, V. The ubiquitous memristive response in solids. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 69, 5351–5356 (2022).
Li, L. et al. Very large capacitance enhancement in a two-dimensional electron system. Science 332, 825–828 (2011).
Pradhan, S. et al. Gate-controlled analog memcapacitance in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface-based devices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 128, 123504 (2026).
Wu, P., Reis, D., Hu, X. S. & Appenzeller, J. Two-dimensional transistors with reconfigurable polarities for secure circuits. Nat. Electron. 4, 45–53 (2021).
Kim, K. et al. Sub-stoichiometric zirconium oxide as a solution-processed dielectric for reconfigurable electronics. Nat. Electron. 8, 461–473 (2025).
Pei, M. et al. Power-efficient multisensory reservoir computing based on Zr-doped HfO2 memcapacitive synapse arrays. Adv. Mater. 35, 2305609 (2023).
Jang, Y. H., Han, J.-K. & Hwang, C. S. A review of memristive reservoir computing for temporal data processing and sensing. InfoScience 1, 12013 (2024).
Bayat, F. M. et al. Implementation of a multilayer perceptron network with highly uniform passive memristive crossbar circuits. Nat. Commun. 9, 2331 (2018).
Manipatruni, S. et al. Scalable energy-efficient magnetoelectric spin-orbit logic. Nature 565, 35–42 (2019).
Reyren, N. et al. Superconducting interfaces between insulating oxides. Science 317, 1196–1199 (2007).
Li, L., Richter, C., Mannhart, J. & Ashoori, R. C. Coexistence of magnetic order and two-dimensional superconductivity at LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. Nat. Phys. 7, 762–766 (2011).
Qian, C., Kong, L.-a., Yang, J., Gao, Y. & Sun, J. Multi-gate organic neuron transistors for spatiotemporal information processing. Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 4977069 (2017).
Acknowledgments
The authors gratefully acknowledge financial support by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) through the Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat - Complexity, Topology and Dynamics in Quantum Matter (EXC 2147, project-id 390858490) as well as through the Collaborative Research Center SFB 1170 “ToCoTronics” (project-id 258499086). VLR acknowledges the support from Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq-Brasil), Proj. 311536/2022-0 and FAPESP Projs. 2025/04805-0 and 2025/00677-8.
Funding
Open Access funding enabled and organized by Projekt DEAL.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Contributions
F.H. and S.H. initiated and guided the study. M.Spring, J.G., and B.L. grew the sample in discussion with M.Sing and R.C., S.K., and M.K. fabricated the devices. K.M. initiated the experiment, S.P. designed and conducted all the experimental work in discussion with F.H.. S.P, F.H., V.L., and S.H. analyzed and interpreted the experimental results. S.P. and F.H. wrote the manuscript, with input from all coauthors.
Corresponding authors
Ethics declarations
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Peer review
Peer review information
Nature Communications thanks Dewei Chu, Ho Won Jang, Hyungwoo Lee and the other anonymous reviewer(s) for their contribution to the peer review of this work. A peer review file is available.
Additional information
Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Supplementary information
Rights and permissions
Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons licence, and indicate if changes were made. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons licence, unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons licence and your intended use is not permitted by statutory regulation or exceeds the permitted use, you will need to obtain permission directly from the copyright holder. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.
About this article
Cite this article
Pradhan, S., Miller, K., Hartmann, F. et al. Oxide interface-based polymorphic electronic devices for neuromorphic computing. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71642-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71642-2