Skin-like n-type stretchable synaptic transistors with low energy consumption and highly reliable plasticity for brain-inspired computing

• Published in: Nano energy 2024-09, Vol.128, p.109891, Article 109891
• Main Authors: Huang, Bo, Deng, Caihao, Lan, Linfeng, Li, Yaping, Chen, Baozhong, Xu, Jintao, Pan, Jiayi, Shen, Kangxin, Huang, Jiale, Wan, Qing, Peng, Junbiao, Cao, Yong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Brain-inspired computation; Excitatory and inhibitory behaviors; Low energy consumption; N-type; Stretchable synaptic transistor
• ISSN: 2211-2855
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nanoen.2024.109891

Artificial synaptic devices with high transconductance, low energy consumption and good stretchability are important for efficient and energy-friendly neuromorphic computations in the field of bionics. Here, we propose a stretchable substrate inspired by wrinkled surface of human skin, and achieve a low energy operation stretchable synaptic transistor (SST) based on n-type oxide semiconductor. The SSTs exhibit excellent performance, including high mobility (4.08 cm2V−1s−1) and high transconductance (over 12 mS) under ultra-low operation voltage of 0.1 V. They can stand against multi-directional stretching of 10 % and up to 400 stretch/release cycles. In addition, the n-type SSTs achieve synaptic performance at ultra-low energy consumption (0.36 fJ) with dual-mode operation characteristics of excitatory and inhibitory behaviors. Under tensile strain, they exhibit typical synaptic behavior, including short-term/long-term plasticity, pair pulse facilitation, spike voltage/frequency/duration/number-dependent plasticity. More importantly, the SSTs exhibit excellent “learning-forgetting-relearning” feature and good stability under potentiation-depression cycle test, showcasing tremendous potential in brain-inspired computation. Finally, a high recognition accuracy (89.6 %) is attained simulated by handwritten digital datasets. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first stretchable synaptic transistor with oxide semiconductors, and it is also a major breakthrough in n-type stretchable synaptic transistors for high-speed and low-energy calculation and storage for brain-inspired computing. [Display omitted] •An n-type multi-directional-stretchable synaptic transistor based on a wrinkled stretchable substrate is designed and constructed.•It is the first stretchable synaptic transistor with oxide semiconductors, and also a major breakthrough in n-type stretchable synaptic transistors.•It exhibits excellent “learning-forgetting-relearning” feature, showcasing tremendous potential in brain-inspired computation.