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In-depth analysis of core-shell filaments in nonvolatile NbOx memristive device as an artificial synapse for multifunctional bionic applications

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Abstract

As a key building block of the biological cortex, synapses are powerful information processing units that enable highly complex nonlinear computations. The realization of artificial synapses with similar capabilities has important implications for building intelligent, neuromorphic systems. Here, we demonstrate an artificial synapse based on NbOx nonvolatile memristor to mimic multifunctional bionic applications such as nociceptor and associative learning. Combined experimental characterization with COMSOL simulation, the traditional resistance switching characteristics, which are the decisive factor for the synapse properties are in-depth analyzed. It can be proposed that the I–V characteristics of Pt/NbOx/TiN memristor are governed by core-shell filaments consisting of the shell region of sub-stoichiometric Nb2O5−δ and the core of NbO2. On the basis of the core-shell filament model, it can be reasonably explained that Ohmic conduction and Poole-Frenkel conduction take turns to dominate the current flowing in the memristive device, leading to the zigzag evolution of current during the operation process of NbOx-based device. The simulations of synaptic plasticity, including long-term potentiation/depression (LTP/LTD), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), exhibiting that the NbOx can be utilized for an artificial synapse. Furthermore, bionic functions such as hyperalgesia and allodynia of a nociceptor and a series of associative learning behaviors in Pavlovian dog experiment are mimicked, illustrating that the Pt/NbOx/TiN have great potential for highly simplified artificial neural network applications.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Microelectronics, Key Laboratory of Intelligent Sensing System and Security, Ministry of Education, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China

    Bei Jiang, ShanWu Ke, ZiPei Tao, YaoYao Jin, JiaHao Meng, YongYue Xiao, Li Jiang, JinZhao Wang, Yong Chen, YueBin Li & Cong Ye

  2. Belt and Road Joint Laboratory on Measurement and Control Technology, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430074, China

    Cong Ye

  3. School of Science, Hubei University of Technology, Wuhan, 430068, China

    XingJuan Song

  4. Faculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, West Pomeranian University of Technology in Szczecin, Szczecin, 71-065, Poland

    Xin Wen

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  1. Bei Jiang
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  2. ShanWu Ke
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Cong Ye.

Additional information

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 62274058, 62104065), the Open Project of China-Poland Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Measurement and Control Technology (Grant No. MCT202104), the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. XDB44000000), the Hubei Province Key Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2022BAA020), and the Wuhan Key Research and Development Program (Grant Nos. 2022012202015055, 2023010402010612).

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The supporting information is available online at tech.scichina.com and link.springer.com. The supporting materials are published as submitted, without typesetting or editing. The responsibility for scientific accuracy and content remains entirely with the authors.

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11431_2023_2469_MOESM1_ESM.doc

In-depth analysis of core-shell filaments in nonvolatile NbOx memristive device as an artificial synapse for multifunctional bionic applications

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Jiang, B., Ke, S., Tao, Z. et al. In-depth analysis of core-shell filaments in nonvolatile NbOx memristive device as an artificial synapse for multifunctional bionic applications. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 66, 3596–3603 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-023-2469-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-023-2469-8

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