Issue 9, 2024

Ovonic threshold switching-based artificial afferent neurons for thermal in-sensor computing

Abstract

Artificial afferent neurons in the sensory nervous system inspired by biology have enormous potential for efficiently perceiving and processing environmental information. However, the previously reported artificial afferent neurons suffer from two prominent challenges: considerable power consumption and limited scalability efficiency. Herein, addressing these challenges, a bioinspired artificial thermal afferent neuron based on a N-doped SiTe ovonic threshold switching (OTS) device is presented for the first time. The engineered OTS device shows remarkable uniformity and robust endurance, ensuring the reliability and efficacy of the artificial afferent neurons. A substantially decreased leakage current of the SiTe OTS device by nitrogen doping results in ultra-low power consumption less than 0.3 nJ per spike for artificial afferent neurons. The inherent temperature response exhibited by N-doped SiTe OTS materials allows us to construct a highly compact artificial thermal afferent neuron over a wide temperature range. An edge detection task is performed to further verify its thermal perceptual computing function. Our work provides an insight into OTS-based artificial afferent neurons for electronic skin and sensory neurorobotics.

Graphical abstract: Ovonic threshold switching-based artificial afferent neurons for thermal in-sensor computing

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
16 jan. 2024
Accepted
19 mar. 2024
First published
21 mar. 2024

Mater. Horiz., 2024,11, 2106-2114

Ovonic threshold switching-based artificial afferent neurons for thermal in-sensor computing

K. Li, J. Yao, P. Zhao, Y. Luo, X. Ge, R. Yang, X. Cheng and X. Miao, Mater. Horiz., 2024, 11, 2106 DOI: 10.1039/D4MH00053F

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements