The brain requires surprisingly
little energy to adapt to the environment to learn, make ambiguous
recognitions, have high recognition ability and intelligence, and perform
complex information processing. The two key features of neural circuits are ‘learning
ability of synapses’ and ‘nerve impulses or spikes’. As brain science
progresses, brain structure has been gradually clarified, but it is too
complicated to completely emulate. Scientists have tried to replicate brain
function by using simplified neuromorphic circuits and devices that emulate a
part of the brain's mechanisms. In developing neuromorphic chips to
artificially replicate the circuits that mimic brain structure and function,
the functions of generation and transmission of spontaneous spikes that mimic
nerve impulses (spikes) have not yet been fully utilized.
A joint group of researchers from Kyushu Institute of Technology and Osaka University studied current rectification control in junctions of various molecules and particles absorbed on single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT), using conductive atomic force microscopy (C-AFM), and discovered that a negative differential resistance was produced in polyoxometalate (POM) molecules absorbed on SWNT. This suggests that an unstable dynamic non-equilibrium state occurs in molecular junctions. In addition, the researchers created extremely dense, random SWNT/POM network molecular neuromorphic devices, generating spontaneous spikes similar to nerve impulses of neurons . It is expected that this group's achievements will greatly contribute to the development of neuromorphic devices of the future.
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