Fully photon modulated heterostructure for neuromorphic computing

• Published in: Nano energy 2019-11, Vol.65, p.104000, Article 104000
• Main Authors: Li, Huilin, Jiang, Xiantao, Ye, Wenbin, Zhang, Han, Zhou, Li, Zhang, Feng, She, Donghong, Zhou, Ye, Han, Su-Ting
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Artificial synapse; Heterostructure; Memristor; Neuromorphic device; Photonic synapse
• ISSN: 2211-2855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2019.104000

Neuromorphic computing has attracted great attention to mimic the brain functions of perception, learning and memory, which are considered to overcome the von Neumann bottleneck. Here, we developed a novel neuromorphic device based on the ZnO/PbS hybrid heterostructure in order to emulate the bio-synaptic activities in the fully photon modulated mode. Owing to regulation of the conduction state, the excitatory and inhibitory activities have been emulated with the excitation of long-wavelength and short-wavelength photons in the ZnO/PbS neuromorphic device. Excitatory plasticity can be mimicked with the UV light, and IR light induces the inhibitory effect. Furthermore, other synapse functions have also been emulated in these modes, including long-term plasticity, short-term plasticity, paired-pulse facilitation/depression, spike-rate-dependent plasticity, etc. Meanwhile, an artificial neural network has been simulated based on the synaptic plasticity of the excitatory and inhibitory effect in the fully photon modulation, and recognition rates up to 67 ± 6% can be achieved to distinguish the letter images. Our multifunctional artificial synapse based on the fully photon stimulation can open up a new and efficient way for constructing neuromorphic systems. [Display omitted] •A fully photonic synapse based on solution-processed ZnO/PbS device has been demonstated.•By changing the conductance in artificial synapse with voltage pulses, various synaptic operations mimicking the biological synapse have been obtained.•The excitation and inhibition have been achieved with controlled the change of the oxygen vacancies in ZnO/PbS device.•The synaptic plasticity is also emulated in the fully photon modulated mode, where UV excitation and IR inhibition are realized.