Borophene-ZnO heterostructures: Preparation and application as broadband photonic nonvolatile memory

High-performance photonic nonvolatile memory which combines data storage and photosensing can achieve low power consumption and ensure computational energy efficiency. Heterostructure has been theoretically and experimentally proved to have synergistic effects between two materials, which can lead to promising electronic and optical properties for advanced optoelectronic devices. Herein, we report the preparation of borophene-ZnO heterostructures and their applications of broadband photonic nonvolatile memory. The memory shows a good switching ratio (5 × 10³) and long-term stability (3,600 s), which are superior to those of the pristine borophene or ZnO quantum dots (QDs). It is found that the memory shows a broad light response from ultraviolet (365 nm) to near infrared (850 nm). Besides, the SET voltage will decrease when the device is exposed to light, which can be attributed to the separation of holes and electrons in accelerating the formation of vacancy conductive filament. This work not only provides a promising material for next-generation photoelectric information, but also paves the way for borophene-based memory towards data storage devices.