Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Advertisement

Nature Communications
  • View all journals
  • Search
  • My Account Login
  • Content Explore content
  • About the journal
  • Publish with us
  • Sign up for alerts
  • RSS feed
  1. nature
  2. nature communications
  3. articles
  4. article
Oxide interface-based polymorphic electronic devices for neuromorphic computing
Download PDF
Download PDF
  • Article
  • Open access
  • Published: 09 April 2026

Oxide interface-based polymorphic electronic devices for neuromorphic computing

  • Soumen Pradhan  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6500-28891,
  • Kirill Miller1,
  • Fabian Hartmann  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-2274-06511,
  • Merit Spring1,
  • Judith Gabel1,
  • Berengar Leikert1,
  • Silke Kuhn1,
  • Martin Kamp1,
  • Victor Lopez-Richard  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-7897-38602,
  • Michael Sing  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1727-29881,
  • Ralph Claessen  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-3682-63251 &
  • …
  • Sven Höfling1 

Nature Communications , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Electronic devices

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

  1. Jones, N. How to stop data centers from gobbling up the world’s electricity. Nature 561, 163–166 (2018).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Crawford, K. Generative AI’s environmental costs are soaring-and mostly secret. Nature 626, 693 (2024).

    Google Scholar 

  3. 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).

  4. Shalf, J. M. & Leland, R. Computing beyond Moore’s law. Computer 48, 14–23 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  5. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  6. Hentrich, D., Oruklu, E. & Saniie, J. Polymorphic computing: definition, trends, and a new agent-based architecture. Circuits Syst. 2, 358–364 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  7. 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).

  8. Tang, J. et al. Bridging biological and artificial neural networks with emerging neuromorphic devices: fundamentals, progress, and challenges. Adv. Mater. 31, 1902761 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Yang, R., Huang, H.-M. & Guo, X. Memristive synapses and neurons for bioinspired computing. Adv. Electron. Mater. 5, 1900287 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  10. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Du, C. et al. Reservoir computing using dynamic memristors for temporal information processing. Nat. Commun. 8, 2204 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Shchanikov, S. et al. Designing a bidirectional, adaptive neural interface incorporating machine learning capabilities and memristor-enhanced hardware. Chaos Soliton Fract. 142, 110504 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Wang, Y. et al. Boolean logic computing based on a neuromorphic transistor. Adv. Funct. Mater. 33, 2305791 (2023).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Stone, H. S. A logic-in-memory computer. IEEE Trans. Comput. 100, 73–78 (1970).

    Google Scholar 

  15. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Fuller, E. J. et al. Parallel programming of an ionic floating-gate memory array for scalable neuromorphic computing. Science 364, 570–574 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  17. Chen, W.-H. et al. CMOS-integrated memristive non-volatile computing-in-memory for AI edge processors. Nat. Electron. 2, 420–428 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Cao, G. et al. 2d material based synaptic devices for neuromorphic computing. Adv. Funct. Mater. 31, 2005443 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Liu, C. et al. Two-dimensional materials for next-generation computing technologies. Nat. Nanotechnol. 15, 545–557 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Huang, W. et al. Zero-power optoelectronic synaptic devices. Nano Energy 73, 104790 (2020).

    Google Scholar 

  21. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  22. Chen, Y. et al. Solar-blind SnO2 nanowire photo-synapses for associative learning and coincidence detection. Nano Energy 62, 393–400 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  23. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  24. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  25. Tang, H. et al. Tunable band gaps and optical absorption properties of bent MoS2 nanoribbons. Sci. Rep. 12, 3008 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Peng, R. et al. Programmable graded doping for reconfigurable molybdenum ditelluride devices. Nat. Electron. 6, 852–861 (2023).

    Google Scholar 

  27. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  28. Weber, W. et al. Reconfigurable nanowire electronics - a review. Solid-State Electron. 102, 12–24 (2014).

    Google Scholar 

  29. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  30. Zhang, Z. et al. 2D materials and van der Waals heterojunctions for neuromorphic computing. Neuromorphic Comput. Eng. 2, 032004 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  31. Yoo, S. et al. Efficient data processing using tunable entropy-stabilized oxide memristors. Nat. Electron. 7, 466–474 (2024).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Rao, M. et al. Thousands of conductance levels in memristors integrated on CMOS. Nature 615, 823–829 (2023).

    Google Scholar 

  33. Demasius, K.-U., Kirschen, A. & Parkin, S. Energy-efficient memcapacitor devices for neuromorphic computing. Nat. Electron. 4, 748–756 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  34. Ohtomo, A. & Hwang, H. A high-mobility electron gas at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterointerface. Nature 427, 423–426 (2004).

    Google Scholar 

  35. Mannhart, J. et al. Two-dimensional electron gases at oxide interfaces. MRS Bull. 33, 1027–1034 (2008).

    Google Scholar 

  36. Bi, F. et al. Electro-mechanical response of top-gated LaAlO3/SrTiO3. J. Appl. Phys. 119, 02530 (2016).

    Google Scholar 

  37. Goswami, S., Mulazimoglu, E., Vandersypen, L. M. & Caviglia, A. D. Nanoscale electrostatic control of oxide interfaces. Nano Lett. 15, 2627–2632 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  38. Giampietri, A., Drera, G. & Sangaletti, L. Band alignment at heteroepitaxial perovskite oxide interfaces. experiments, methods, and perspectives. Adv. Mater. Interfaces 4, 1700144 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  39. Choe, D. et al. Gate-tunable giant nonreciprocal charge transport in noncentrosymmetric oxide interfaces. Nat. Commun. 10, 4510 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  40. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  41. Miller, K. et al. Room temperature memristive switching in nano-patterned LaAlO3/SrTiO3 wires with laterally defined gates. Appl. Phys. Lett. 118, 153502 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  42. Monteiro, A. et al. Side gate tunable Josephson junctions at the LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface. Nano Lett. 17, 715–720 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  43. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  44. Maier, P. et al. Gate-tunable, normally-on to normally-off memristance transition in patterned LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interfaces. Appl. Phys. Lett. 110, 093506 (2017).

    Google Scholar 

  45. Di Ventra, M., Pershin, Y. V. & Chua, L. O. Circuit elements with memory: Memristors, memcapacitors, and meminductors. Proc. IEEE 97, 1717–1724 (2009).

    Google Scholar 

  46. Wu, S. et al. Electrically induced colossal capacitance enhancement in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures. NPG Asia Mater. 5, 65–65 (2013).

    Google Scholar 

  47. Kim, S. K. et al. Electric-field-induced shift in the threshold voltage in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures. Sci. Rep. 5, 8023 (2015).

    Google Scholar 

  48. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  49. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  50. 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).

  51. Lopez-Richard, V., Wengenroth Silva, R. S., Lipan, O. & Hartmann, F. Tuning the conductance topology in solids. J. Appl. Phys. 133, 134901 (2023).

    Google Scholar 

  52. Lopez-Richard, V. et al. Beyond equivalent circuit representations in nonlinear systems with inherent memory. J. Appl. Phys. 136, 165103 (2024).

    Google Scholar 

  53. Silva, R. S. W., Hartmann, F. & Lopez-Richard, V. The ubiquitous memristive response in solids. IEEE Trans. Electron Devices 69, 5351–5356 (2022).

    Google Scholar 

  54. Li, L. et al. Very large capacitance enhancement in a two-dimensional electron system. Science 332, 825–828 (2011).

    Google Scholar 

  55. Pradhan, S. et al. Gate-controlled analog memcapacitance in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 interface-based devices. Appl. Phys. Lett. 128, 123504 (2026).

  56. Wu, P., Reis, D., Hu, X. S. & Appenzeller, J. Two-dimensional transistors with reconfigurable polarities for secure circuits. Nat. Electron. 4, 45–53 (2021).

    Google Scholar 

  57. Kim, K. et al. Sub-stoichiometric zirconium oxide as a solution-processed dielectric for reconfigurable electronics. Nat. Electron. 8, 461–473 (2025).

    Google Scholar 

  58. Pei, M. et al. Power-efficient multisensory reservoir computing based on Zr-doped HfO2 memcapacitive synapse arrays. Adv. Mater. 35, 2305609 (2023).

    Google Scholar 

  59. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  60. Bayat, F. M. et al. Implementation of a multilayer perceptron network with highly uniform passive memristive crossbar circuits. Nat. Commun. 9, 2331 (2018).

    Google Scholar 

  61. Manipatruni, S. et al. Scalable energy-efficient magnetoelectric spin-orbit logic. Nature 565, 35–42 (2019).

    Google Scholar 

  62. Reyren, N. et al. Superconducting interfaces between insulating oxides. Science 317, 1196–1199 (2007).

    Google Scholar 

  63. 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).

    Google Scholar 

  64. 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).

    Google Scholar 

Download references

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

  1. Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg, Physikalisches Institut and Würzburg-Dresden Cluster of Excellence ctd.qmat, Am Hubland, Würzburg, Bavaria, Germany

    Soumen Pradhan, Kirill Miller, Fabian Hartmann, Merit Spring, Judith Gabel, Berengar Leikert, Silke Kuhn, Martin Kamp, Michael Sing, Ralph Claessen & Sven Höfling

  2. Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Departamento de Física, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    Victor Lopez-Richard

Authors
  1. Soumen Pradhan
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kirill Miller
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Fabian Hartmann
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Merit Spring
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Judith Gabel
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Berengar Leikert
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Silke Kuhn
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Martin Kamp
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Victor Lopez-Richard
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Michael Sing
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  11. Ralph Claessen
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Sven Höfling
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

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

Correspondence to Soumen Pradhan or Fabian Hartmann.

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

Supplementary Information (download PDF )

Transparent Peer Review file (download PDF )

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/.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

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

Download citation

  • Received: 09 September 2025

  • Accepted: 23 March 2026

  • Published: 09 April 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-71642-2

Share this article

Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:

Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article.

Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative

Download PDF

Advertisement

Explore content

  • Research articles
  • Reviews & Analysis
  • News & Comment
  • Videos
  • Collections
  • Subjects
  • Follow us on Facebook
  • Follow us on X
  • Sign up for alerts
  • RSS feed

About the journal

  • Aims & Scope
  • Editors
  • Journal Information
  • Open Access Fees and Funding
  • Calls for Papers
  • Editorial Values Statement
  • Journal Metrics
  • Editors' Highlights
  • Contact
  • Editorial policies
  • Top Articles

Publish with us

  • For authors
  • For Reviewers
  • Language editing services
  • Open access funding
  • Submit manuscript

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

  • Explore articles by subject
  • Find a job
  • Guide to authors
  • Editorial policies

Nature Communications (Nat Commun)

ISSN 2041-1723 (online)

nature.com footer links

About Nature Portfolio

  • About us
  • Press releases
  • Press office
  • Contact us

Discover content

  • Journals A-Z
  • Articles by subject
  • protocols.io
  • Nature Index

Publishing policies

  • Nature portfolio policies
  • Open access

Author & Researcher services

  • Reprints & permissions
  • Research data
  • Language editing
  • Scientific editing
  • Nature Masterclasses
  • Research Solutions

Libraries & institutions

  • Librarian service & tools
  • Librarian portal
  • Open research
  • Recommend to library

Advertising & partnerships

  • Advertising
  • Partnerships & Services
  • Media kits
  • Branded content

Professional development

  • Nature Awards
  • Nature Careers
  • Nature Conferences

Regional websites

  • Nature Africa
  • Nature China
  • Nature India
  • Nature Japan
  • Nature Middle East
  • Privacy Policy
  • Use of cookies
  • Legal notice
  • Accessibility statement
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Your US state privacy rights
Springer Nature

© 2026 Springer Nature Limited

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing