Emulating low power nociceptive functionalities with a forming-free SiO2/VOx conductive bridge memory with Pt nanoparticles

The fabrication of low-power and scalable electronic devices that will have the ability to emulate the properties of the biological nociceptors is of great importance for the development of humanoid robots. Along these lines, in this work, an artificial nociceptive element composed of a SiO2/VOx-based bilayer configuration and a dense layer of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) as a bottom electrode is proposed. Interestingly, the device operates only under the threshold switching mode with the switching voltage as low as ∼220 mV and a huge switching ratio of 107. A systematic analysis of the impact of the bilayer configuration and the existence of the Pt NPs on the total memory performance is also provided, while a comprehensive numerical model is introduced to highlight the crucial role of the electrode material on the local temperature distribution and its influence on the memristive effect. On top of that, the proposed structure can imitate the normal, relaxation, and sensitization states of the nociceptors with about 0.3 pJ energy per spike. These enhanced properties are ascribed to the self-rupture of the Ag-based conducting filament, whereas valuable insights into the impact of the local temperature distribution on the switching dynamics are provided.