Conductance Variability in Non-Conjugated Polymers: Memristors for Neuromorphic Applications

非技术性描述：普通计算机存储器使用数字0和1，仅取决于电压。相比之下，人类具有神经形态反应能力，可以根据过去的经验改变决策过程。最近，科学家们正在探索各种材料，特别是氧化物，以制造具有神经形态反应能力的人造计算系统。该研究项目研究了具有取决于几何因素的电阻的有机聚合物，扩展了可用作神经形态计算基本构建块的材料类别。研究生在该项目中接受跨学科研究的培训，这些研究将聚合物科学，电子学和神经科学领域联系起来。此外，通过光学材料科学与工程技术中心（COMSET）暑期研究员计划并与蒙台梭利安德森学校合作，为高中生和本科生提供了研究机会。技术说明：该项目侧重于非共轭聚合物的研究，这些聚合物具有侧链芳香杂环部分，表现出构象依赖的电导率和模拟突触行为。该项目的长期目标是开发一种基于聚合物的忆阻器技术，可用于神经形态计算系统。本研究主要包括三个方面的工作：（1）利用非共轭聚合物的咔唑和恶二唑侧基，以及单体和聚合物的合成，开发用于制造忆阻器的分子设计规则。目标是创建一种基于聚合物的忆阻器，其导电功能取决于电压和结构参数，特别是侧基的旋转方面和捕获性质;（2）忆阻器的电荷传输性质的测量，其结果用于改进分子设计规则和改进合成方法;（3）利用聚合物忆阻器模拟一系列突触行为。

Nontechnical Description: The common computer memory uses digital 0 and 1, solely depending on electric voltage. In contrast, a human has the neuromorphic response capability and can alter the decision-making process based on past experiences. Recently, scientists are exploring various materials, particularly oxides, in order to fabricate a man-made computational system with neuromorphic response capability. This research project investigates organic polymers with electrical resistance that depends on geometry factors, expanding the class of materials that can be used as the basic building blocks for neuromorphic computing. Graduate students are trained in this project for interdisciplinary research bridging the fields of polymer science, electronics, and neuroscience. In addition, research opportunities are provided to high-school and undergraduate students through the Center for Optical Materials Science and Engineering Technologies (COMSET) Summer Fellows Program and in collaboration with Montessori School of Anderson.Technical Description: This project focuses on the investigation of non-conjugated polymers with pendant aromatic heterocyclic moieties that exhibit conformationally dependent conductivity and emulating synaptic behaviors. A long-term goal of the project is to develop a polymer-based memristor technology that can be employed in a neuromorphic computation system. The research includes three major tasks: (1) Development of molecular design rules for creating a memrisitor using non-conjugated polymers with pendant carbazole and oxadiazole moieties, as well as monomer and polymer synthesis. The goal is to create a polymer-based memrisitor with a conductive function depending on both voltage and a structural parameter, particularly the rotational aspects and trapping properties of the pendant groups; (2) Measurement of the charge transport properties of the memristors, with the results used to refine the molecular design rules and to improve synthesis methods; (3) Emulation of a series of synaptic behaviors using the polymer-based memristors.