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

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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.