TiN/TiO_x/WO_x/Pt heterojunction memristor for sensory and neuromorphic computing

The advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has spurred increasing demands for efficiency, as AI technologies require rapid processing and large-scale data handling to perform complex tasks and enable real-time decision-making. By incorporating biological nociceptor functions, memristors have become instrumental in E-Skin applications, aiding robotics in assessing potential danger. Moreover, in pursuit of energy-efficient data processing, researchers have turned their attention to neuromorphic computing, mimicking the operations of the human brain. In this context, the multifunctional capabilities of individual memristors are pivotal for their utility across diverse conditions. To enhance efficiency, this study investigated the observation of both synaptic and nociceptive behaviors within a heterojunction memristor comprising a TiN/TiO_x/WO_x/Pt stack. By employing a controlled pulse scheme, advanced sensing capabilities were discovered within our memristor, mimicking key functions of nociceptors such as threshold detection, lack of adaptation, relaxation, and sensitization. Additionally, the processes of potentiation and depression were leveraged to demonstrate the linear adjustment of synaptic weights based on applied pulse schemes, exhibiting various synapse-like behaviors, and enabling advanced computing functions. Consequently, both sensing and computing functionalities of the memristor were achieved using a singular TiN/TiO_x/WO_x/Pt memristor.