Neuromorphic networks of artificial neurons and synapses can solve computationally hard problems with energy efficiencies unattainable for von Neumann architectures. For image processing, silicon neuromorphic processors outperform graphic processing units in energy efficiency by a large margin, but deliver much lower chip-scale throughput. The performance-efficiency dilemma for silicon processors may not be overcome by Moore’s law scaling of silicon transistors. Scalable and biomimetic active memristor neurons and passive memristor synapses form a self-sufficient basis for a transistorless neural network. However, previous demonstrations of memristor neurons only showed simple integrate-and-fire behaviors and did not reveal the rich dynamics and computational complexity of biological neurons. Here we report that neurons built with nanoscale vanadium dioxide active memristors possess all three classes of excitability and most of the known biological neuronal dynamics, and are intrinsically stochastic. With the favorable size and power scaling, there is a path toward an all-memristor neuromorphic cortical computer.

Among the theoretically predicted two-dimensional topological insulators, InAs=GaSb double quantum wells (DQWs) have a unique double-layered structure with electron and hole gases separated in two layers, which enables tuning of the band alignment via electric and magnetic fields. However, the rich trivialtopological phase diagram has yet to be experimentally explored. We present an in situ and continuous tuning between the trivial and topological insulating phases in InAs=GaSb DQWs through electrical dual gating. Furthermore, we show that an in-plane magnetic field shifts the electron and hole bands relatively to each other in momentum space, functioning as a powerful tool to discriminate between the topologically distinct states. DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.115.036803 PACS numbers: 73.21.Fg, 71.30.+h, 72.80.Ey Two-dimensional topological insulators (2DTIs), known also as quantum spin Hall insulators, are a novel class of materials characterized by an insulating bulk and gapless helical edges [1][2][3][4]. Double quantum wells (DQWs) of indium arsenide and gallium antimonide (InAs=GaSb) have a unique type-II broken gap band alignment and are especially interesting since the electron and hole gases that form a topological band structure are spatially separated [5][6][7][8]. For the appropriate layer thicknesses, the top of the hole band in GaSb lies above the bottom of the electron band in InAs; hence, for small momentum (around k ¼ 0) the band structure is inverted. At the crossing point (k cross ) of the two bands, coupling of the electrons and holes opens up a bulk hybridization gap [9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16] with gapless helical edge modes [5]. The size of the gap is determined by both k cross and the overlap of the electron and hole wave functions [17]. Because of the spatial separation of the two gases, electric and magnetic fields can induce relative shifts of the bands in energy and momentum [10,18,19], respectively. By controlling such shifts, it is possible to in situ tune between the trivial and topological insulating phases, which is the key advantage of InAs=GaSb compared to the other known 2DTIs [5,[20][21][22].Here, for the first time, we map out the full phase diagram of the InAs=GaSb DQWs by independent control of the Fermi level and the band alignment through electric dual gating. In particular, we observe the phase transition between the trivial insulator (normal gap) and topological insulator (hybridization gap). Moreover, the evolution of the resistance for in-plane magnetic fields is different in the two distinct phases, consistent with the fact that one is trivial, and the other topological.In InAs=GaSb DQWs, the band alignment can be controlled by top and back gate electrodes [5,18] [see the structure shown in Fig. 1(a) ]. The two gates control the perpendicular electric field E z , which shifts the electron and the hole bands relatively to each other in energy by ΔE ¼ eE z hzi (hzi is the average separation of the electron and hole gases), and the position of the Fermi level E F . ...

A key requirement for using memristors in circuits is a predictive model for device behavior that can be used in simulations and to guide designs. We analyze one of the most promising materials, tantalum oxide, for high density, low power, and high-speed memory. We perform an ensemble of measurements, including time dynamics across nine decades, to deduce the underlying state equations describing the switching in Pt/TaO x /Ta memristors. A predictive, compact model is found in good agreement with the measured data. The resulting model, compatible with SPICE, is then used to understand trends in terms of switching times and energy consumption, which in turn are important for choosing device operating points and handling interactions with other circuit elements.

We present transport and scanning SQUID measurements on InAs/GaSb double quantum wells, a system predicted to be a two-dimensional topological insulator. Top and back gates allow independent control of density and band offset, allowing tuning from the trivial to the topological regime. In the trivial regime, bulk conductivity is quenched but transport persists along the edges, superficially resembling the predicted helical edge-channels in the topological regime. We characterize edge conduction in the trivial regime in a wide variety of sample geometries and measurement configurations, as a function of temperature, magnetic field, and edge length. Despite similarities to studies claiming measurements of helical edge channels, our characterization points to a nontopological origin for these observations.

TaO(x)-based memristors have recently demonstrated both subnanosecond resistance switching speeds and very high write/erase switching endurance. Here we show that the physical state variable that enables these properties is the oxygen concentration in a conduction channel, based on the measurement of the thermal coefficient of resistance of different TaO(x) memristor states and a set of reference Ta-O films of known composition. The continuous electrical tunability of the oxygen concentration in the channel, with a resolution of a few percent, was demonstrated by controlling the write currents with a one transistor-one memristor (1T1M) circuit. This study demonstrates that solid-state chemical kinetics is important for the determination of the electrical characteristics of this relatively new class of device.

The interfaces between metal electrodes and the oxide in TiO 2 -based memristive switches play a key role in the switching as well as in the I -V characteristics of the devices in different resistance states. We demonstrate here that the work function of the metal electrode has a surprisingly minor effect in determining the electronic barrier at the interface. In contrast, Ti oxides can be readily reduced by most electrode metals. The amount of oxygen vacancies created by these chemical reactions essentially determines the electronic barrier at the device interfaces.The memristor, the fourth fundamental passive circuit element [1][2][3], has a wide variety of potential applications based on its promising device properties [1][2][3][4][5][6][7], including non-volatility, fast switching (<10 ns), low energy (∼1 pJ/operation), multiple-state operation, scalability and stackability. As suggested by the name, memristors can be used for information storage [8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Moreover, memristors can function as stateful Boolean logic gates via the material implication operation [15]. In addition, memristors can also be used for neuromorphic computing [16,17] because of their analog switching, and some hybrid circuits due to their ease of stacking [18,19].Among all the kinds of switching materials that have been reported, oxides are the most extensively studied [4]. The interfaces between the metal electrodes and the oxide play a crucial role, especially for bipolar switches [5,6,20]. Under an applied electric field, oxygen vacancies can drift into the interface region, reducing the electronic barrier and resulting in a low-resistance state. Under an electric field with the opposite polarity, the oxygen vacancies are repelled away from the interface region, recovering the electronic barrier to regain the high resistance state [6,21,22]. A family of nanodevices with different switching and currentvoltage (I -V ) characteristics has been demonstrated by manipulating the elemental composition at the two interfaces of a simple metal/oxide/metal device stack [23]. For a crossbar array of memristors in a storage/memory circuit, sneak path currents [24] can be minimized by using memristors with a rectifying I -V characteristic, especially when they are in the low-resistance state. Therefore, interface engineering is critical to obtain the desired switching behavior and electrical properties for memristive devices.From a semiconductor physics point of view, the work function of the electrode metal might be an important factor in determining the electronic barrier at the metal/oxide interface [25]. This barrier in our thin film devices is not a traditional Schottky barrier because the oxide film is amorphous with a large concentration of defects and likely thinner than the depletion region of the semiconducting oxide. We prepared a set of 5 µm × 5 µm cross-point devices with six different top electrode metals (Au, Pt, Ag, Ni, W and Ti) to examine the effect of these contacts on the I -V characteristics, as show...

We present a method which can be used for the mass-fabrication of nanowire photonic and electronic devices based on spin-on glass technology and on the photolithographic definition of independent electrical contacts to the top and the bottom of a nanowire. This method allows for the fabrication of nanowire devices in a reliable, fast, and low cost way, and it can be applied to nanowires with arbitrary cross section and doping type (p and n). We demonstrate this technique by fabricating single-nanowire p-Si(substrate)-n-ZnO(nanowire) heterojunction diodes, which show good rectification properties and, furthermore, which function as ultraviolet light-emitting diodes.

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