Ultra-Low Energy and High Speed LIF Neuron using Silicon Bipolar Impact Ionization MOSFET for Spiking Neural Networks

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel silicon bipolar impact ionization MOSFET-based leaky integrate-and-fire neuron that achieves ultra-low energy consumption and high spiking frequency, promising significant advancements for energy-efficient spiking neural networks.

Contribution

The work proposes the L-BIMOS device with reduced breakdown voltage and demonstrates its capability as an ultra-low energy, GHz-range spiking neuron through 2-D TCAD simulations.

Findings

Firing threshold voltage of 0.2 V

Energy per spike is 0.18 pJ, 194x more efficient than PD-SOI MOSFET neuron

Spiking frequency reaches GHz range at V_DG = 2.0 V

Abstract

Silicon bipolar impact ionization MOSFET offers the potential for realization of leaky integrated fire (LIF) neuron due to the presence of parasitic BJT in the floating body. In this work, we have proposed an L shaped gate bipolar impact ionization MOS (L-BIMOS), with reduced breakdown voltage ($V_{B}$ = 1.68 V) and demonstrated the functioning of LIF neuron based on positive feedback mechanism of parasitic BJT. Using 2-D TCAD simulations, we manifest that the proposed L-BIMOS exhibits a low threshold voltage (0.2 V) for firing a spike, and the minimum energy required to fire a single spike for L-BIMOS is calculated to be 0.18 pJ, which makes proposed device $194\times$ more energy efficient than PD-SOI MOSFET silicon neuron (MOSFET silicon neuron) and $5\times10^{3}$ times more energy efficient than analog/digital circuit based conventional neuron. Furthermore, the proposed L-BIMOS silicon neuron exhibits spiking frequency in the GHz range, when the drain is biased at $V_{DG}$ = 2.0 V.