A team of Chinese researchers has developed the world’s smallest ferroelectric transistor, operating at ultralow power, offering a breakthrough for the semiconductor industry, according to a study published in Science Advances.
Led by Qiu Chenguang and Peng Lianmao from Peking University, the team created nano-gate ferroelectric transistors with a gate size of just 1 nanometer and an operating voltage of 0.6 volts. This innovation addresses the long-standing voltage mismatch between logic chips, which operate at around 0.7 volts, and non-volatile memory devices like NAND flash, which previously required 5 volts or more for write operations.
This voltage mismatch traditionally forced the integration of complex step-up or step-down circuits, leading to higher power consumption, wasted space, and data transfer bottlenecks. In typical AI chips, 60 to 90 percent of power is consumed by data transfer rather than computation—a key limitation for energy efficiency and AI performance.
The new transistor allows memory and logic units to operate at the same low voltage, enabling high-speed, ultra-low power data transfer. Reviewers noted that the device demonstrates excellent memory performance while resolving voltage incompatibility issues for the first time.
Qiu highlighted that the underlying principle is universal, applicable to mainstream ferroelectric materials, and compatible with mass production using standard industrial processes. Future applications include large AI model inference, edge computing, wearable devices, and Internet of Things terminals.
