Electrolyte-gated organic synapse transistor interfaced with neurons

TL;DR

This paper presents an electrolyte-gated organic synapse transistor that mimics biological synapses, capable of interfacing with neurons and maintaining synaptic plasticity even in the presence of neural cells.

Contribution

Introduction of a hybrid nanoparticle/organic synapse transistor with neuron-compatible response characteristics and stable short-term plasticity.

Findings

Device exhibits short-term plasticity at 50 mV spike voltage

Neuron-like cells can be cultured on the device without affecting its function

Device response time is in the tens of milliseconds

Abstract

We demonstrate an electrolyte-gated hybrid nanoparticle/organic synapstor (synapse-transistor, termed EGOS) that exhibits short-term plasticity as biological synapses. The response of EGOS makes it suitable to be interfaced with neurons: short-term plasticity is observed at spike voltage as low as 50 mV (in a par with the amplitude of action potential in neurons) and with a typical response time in the range of tens milliseconds. Human neuroblastoma stem cells are adhered and differentiated into neurons on top of EGOS. We observe that the presence of the cells does not alter short-term plasticity of the device.