Optoelectronic Artificial Synaptic Device Based on Amorphous InAlZnO Films for Learning Simulations

Neuromorphic computing, which mimics brain function, can address the shortcomings of the von Neumann system and is one of the critical components of next-generation computing. The use of light to stimulate artificial synapses has the advantages of low power consumption, low latency, and high stability. We demonstrate amorphous InAlZnO-based light -stimulated artificial synaptic devices with a thin-film transistor structure. The devices exhibit fundamental synaptic properties, including excitatory postsynaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and short-term plasticity to long-term plasticity conversion under light stimulation. The PPF index stimulated by 375 nm light is 155.9% when the time interval is 0.1 s. The energy consumption of each synaptic event is 2.3 pJ, much lower than that of ordinary MOS devices and other optical-controlled synaptic devices. The relaxation time constant reaches 277 s after only 10 light spikes, which shows the great synaptic plasticity of the device. In addition, we simulated the learning-forgetting-relearning-forgetting behavior and learning efficiency of human beings under different moods by changing the gate voltage. This work is expected to promote the development of high-performance optoelectronic synaptic devices for neuromorphic computing.

Automated summary

Neuromorphic computing, which mimics brain function, is a critical component of next-generation computing, addressing the limitations of the von Neumann system. Researchers have demonstrated amorphous InAlZnO-based light-stimulated artificial synaptic devices, exhibiting fundamental synaptic properties and simulating human learning behavior and efficiency under different moods by changing gate voltage.