Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A synaptic device based on the optoelectronic properties of ZnO thin film transistors

  • Published:
Applied Physics A Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Optoelectronic synapses are devices that use electromagnetic radiation to mimic synaptic plasticity and its related functions. Such devices are considered key elements for the implementation of neuromorphic computing systems, that is, based on the functioning of the brain, with sensing, memory and learning properties. This work demonstrates an optoelectronic device with synaptic properties based on a thin-film transistor (TFT) configuration, with the semiconductor channel consisting by a zinc oxide (ZnO) film deposited by RF magnetron sputtering. The synaptic properties take advantage of the phenomenon of persistent photoconductivity presented by the ZnO film. The incidence of light in the channel increases the electrical current intensity measured between the drain and source electrodes (IDS)—for a given potential applied to the gate electrode (VGS). With this, the synaptic functions of sensing, short- and long-term memory, learning and relearning, and paired pulse facilitation, are verified in the ZnO TFT. The variations in IDS caused by lighting with ultraviolet (UV) radiation can reach up to 108 A, which demonstrates the high sensitivity of the device, a crucial aspect for its effectiveness in terms of recognizing and discriminating the light stimulus.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9

Similar content being viewed by others

Availability of data and materials

The data that supports the findings of this study are available within the article [and its supplementary material].

References

  1. M.D. Godfrey, D.F. Hendry, The computer as von Neumann planned it. IEEE Ann. Hist. Comput. 15(1), 11–21 (1993)

    Article  MathSciNet  MATH  Google Scholar 

  2. W. Guo et al., Neural coding in spiking neural networks: a comparative study for robust neuromorphic systems. Front. Neurosci. 15, 638474 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. H. Okano, T. Hirano, E. Balaban, Learning and memory. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 97(23), 12403–12404 (2000)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. J.C. López, A fresh look at paired-pulse facilitation. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 2(5), 307–307 (2001)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. G.H. Lee et al., Effect of weight overlap region on neuromorphic system with memristive synaptic devices. Chaos Solitons Fractals 157, 111999 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. I. Raifuku et al., Halide perovskite for low-power consumption neuromorphic devices. EcoMat 3(6), e12142 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. W. Xiao et al., High photosensitivity light-controlled planar ZnO artificial synapse for neuromorphic computing. Nanoscale 13(4), 2502–2510 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. C. Wang et al., Thin-film transistors for emerging neuromorphic electronics: fundamentals, materials, and pattern recognition. J. Mater. Chem. C 9(35), 11464–11483 (2021)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Q. Wu et al., Photoelectric plasticity in oxide thin film transistors with tunable synaptic functions. Adv. Electron. Mater. 4(12), 1800556 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. G. Wang et al., Simulation of retinal ganglion cell response using fast independent component analysis. Cogn. Neurodyn. 12(6), 615–624 (2018)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. S.W. Cho et al., Progress of materials and devices for neuromorphic vision sensors. Nano-Micro Lett. 14(1), 1–33 (2022)

    Article  ADS  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  12. P. Wu et al., Instability induced by ultraviolet light in ZnO thin-film transistors. IEEE Trans. Electron Dev. 61(5), 1431–1435 (2014)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  13. V. Brinzari, Mechanism of band gap persistent photoconductivity (PPC) in SnO2 nanoscrystalline films: nature of local states, simulation of PPC and comparison with experiment. Appl. Surf. Sci. 411, 437–448 (2017)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  14. A.H. Peterson, S.M. Sawyer, Oxygen adsorption and photoconduction models for metal oxide semiconductors: a review. IEEE Sens. J. 21(15), 16409–16427 (2021)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Z. Ouyang et al., Research progress of p-type oxide thin-film transistors. Materials 15(14), 4781 (2022)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  16. D.K. Ngwashi, T.A. Mih, R.B. Cross, The influence of ZnO layer thickness on the performance and electrical bias stress instability in ZnO thin film transistors. Mater. Res. Express 7(2), 026302 (2020)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  17. T. Zhang et al., Influence of post-deposition annealing on the novel alloyed SnSxO1-x semiconductor in p-type thin-film transistors. Mater. Sci. Semicond. Process. 151, 107037 (2022)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. F. Sun et al., Flexible artificial sensory systems based on neuromorphic devices. ACS Nano 15(3), 3875–3899 (2021)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  19. D.A. Melnick, Zinc oxide photoconduction, an oxygen adsorption process. J. Chem. Phys. 26(5), 1136–1146 (1957)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  20. R.S. Zucker, W.G. Regehr, Short-term synaptic plasticity. Annu. Rev. Physiol. 64(1), 355–405 (2002)

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful for the support of Dr. Jeff Kettle from University of Glasgow and Prof. Neri Alves from Unesp-Presidente Prudente. To Dr. Dari de Oliveira Toginho Filho, for technical support; to LARX (X-ray Analysis Laboratory) of the PROPPG-UEL Multiuser Laboratory Center, for the use of the equipments; and to INEO, CNPq and CAPES for the financial support.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Física, Universidade Estadual de Londrina, Londrina, Paraná, 86057-970, Brazil

    José Henrique Ferreira Nobre, Amer Samir Safade, Alexandre Urbano & Edson Laureto

Authors
  1. José Henrique Ferreira Nobre
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Amer Samir Safade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Alexandre Urbano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Edson Laureto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edson Laureto.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

All the authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests that could have seemed to affect the work reported in this research paper.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Supplementary Information

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary file1 (PDF 509 KB)

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Nobre, J.H.F., Safade, A.S., Urbano, A. et al. A synaptic device based on the optoelectronic properties of ZnO thin film transistors. Appl. Phys. A 129, 203 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-023-06490-8

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00339-023-06490-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation