The Application of Integrated Touch Sensors and Artificial Synaptic Memories with 2-Dimensional Materials on Bionic Antennal Nerve System

The two-dimensional phosphorene and graphene sheets, applied in touch sensor and resistive random access memory (RRAM) respectively, are studied in this project to develop a bionic antennal nerve system. A force will be applied on the touch senor to generate electrons. The electrons will travel through the conductive wire to RRAM, leading to the change of resistance states and achieving the artificial synaptic operation for neural application. Some process technologies will be used to enhance the electron generation efficiency of touch sensors and reduce the operation voltages of RRAMs to realize the low-power requirement. Then, the prototype of bionic antennal nerve system with the integration of 2-dimensional materials will be finished. The project can be divided into three parts: 1. The PVDF-TrFE/phosphorene touch sensors with highly-efficient electron generation will be developed. The low-damage plasma treatment will be used to enhance the transfer of electrons between PVDF-TrFE and phosphorene. In addition, the incorporation of nanocrystals and solvent annealing will be used to increase the electron generation efficiency of PVDF-TrFE piezoelectric material, making the superior characteristics of touch sensors for the operation of RRAMs possible. 2. The RRAMs with all graphene electrodes for low-power operation will be developed. The operation voltages of RRAMs can be reduced by using the different work-functions of graphene as the top and bottom electrodes and the reduction of device area. Furthermore, the resistances of high and low resistance states can be adjusted by using the low-damage plasma treatment, reducing the resistive switching power of RRAMs to be operated by touch sensors. 3. The integrated 2-dimensional materials for the bionic antennal nerve system will be developed. The masks will be designed and the processes of touch sensors and RRAMs will be optimized to realize the prototype of bionic antennal nerve system. The force will be applied on the touch sensors to achieve the operation of RRAMs, accomplishing the development of integrated bionic antennal nerve system.

Project ID:PB10507-1761
External Project ID:MOST105-2628-E182-001-MY3