Computer hardware mimics brain functions
For a study published in Science, researchers developed and tested a perovskite nickelate with which computer chips can be designed to reconfigure their circuits when presented with new information.
Scientific Achievement
Schematic of reconfigurable device consisting of hydrogen-doped perovskite nickelate layer on a LaAlO3 substrate with gold and palladium electrodes. Control of hydrogen ions in the nickelate enable one of four functions at different voltages. Image credit: ORNL
By applying electric pulses to a hydrogen-doped perovskite nickelate, the hydrogen ions redistributed in such a way as to enable distinct metastable states. As a result, a single device can be reconfigured as a resistor, memory capacitor, artificial neuron, or artificial synapse.
Significance and Impact
A perovskite nickelate device enables construction of a reconfigurable hardware platform for brain-inspired computers with greater power and energy efficiency than their static counterparts.
Research Details
•Experiments demonstrated that simply altering the voltage controls the movement of hydrogen ions within the nickelate.
•High-performance computer calculations and synchrotron X-ray analyses revealed the mechanism behind the metastable states.
DOI: 10.1126/science.abj7943
Source: ORNL
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