An organic nanoparticle transistor behaving as a biological synapse

TL;DR

This paper presents a molecule-based nanoparticle transistor that mimics biological synapse behavior, demonstrating synaptic plasticity and potential for neuromorphic computing applications.

Contribution

It introduces a NOMFET device made of molecules and nanoparticles that replicates key synaptic functions, a novel step in neuromorphic electronics.

Findings

Reproduces facilitation and depression behaviors

Demonstrates synaptic plasticity suitable for real-time computing

Provides a simple model describing synaptic behavior

Abstract

Molecule-based devices are envisioned to complement silicon devices by providing new functions or already existing functions at a simpler process level and at a lower cost by virtue of their self-organization capabilities. Moreover, they are not bound to von Neuman architecture and this feature may open the way to other architectural paradigms. Neuromorphic electronics is one of them. Here we demonstrate a device made of molecules and nanoparticles, a nanoparticle organic memory filed-effect transistor (NOMFET), which exhibits the main behavior of a biological spiking synapse. Facilitating and depressing synaptic behaviors can be reproduced by the NOMFET and can be programmed. The synaptic plasticity for real time computing is evidenced and described by a simple model. These results open the way to rate coding utilization of the NOMFET in dynamical neuromorphic computing circuits.