MemSor: Emergence of the In-Memory Sensing Technology for the Digital Transformation

Since Moore’s law is facing several bottlenecks, electron devices are currently developing towards the trend of “More than Moore” which is based on functional diversifcation in terms of sensing, storage and processing of information. This multifunctionality is thought of as another form of miniaturization of the electronic devices, where noncomputing devices are merged with digital ones, leading to faster and more energy efficient processing of data. Complementary to the in-memory computing and in-sensor computing approaches, here, we examine the concept of in-memory sensing in which the roles of both analog sensors and digital memory devices are integrated and achieved using a single “MemSor“ device. We review the demonstrated optoelectronic memory devices which can sense and store optical signals, next, we provide perspectives on the potential integration of other sensing capabilities such as pressure and gas. We also discuss the implementation of the in-memory sensing technology in future energy efficient and scaled down electronic systems. We finally analyze the challenges in the field and present potential solutions for the implementation of the merged sensing and storage functions using advanced manufacturing technologies.