Versatile Cu2ZnSnS4-based synaptic memristor for multi-field-regulated neuromorphic applications

Integrating both electrical and light-modulated multi-type neuromorphic functions in a single synaptic memristive device holds the most potential for realizing next-generation neuromorphic systems, but is still challenging yet achievable. Herein, a simple bi-terminal optoelectronic synaptic memristor is newly proposed based on kesterite Cu2ZnSnS4, exhibiting stable nonvolatile resistive switching with excellent spatial uniformity and unique optoelectronic synaptic behaviors. The device demonstrates not only low switching voltage (−0.39 ± 0.08 V), concentrated Set/Reset voltage distribution (<0.08/0.15 V), and long retention time (>104 s) but also continuously modulable conductance by both electric (different width/interval/amplitude) and light (470–808 nm with different intensity) stimulus. These advantages make the device good electrically and optically simulated synaptic functions, including excitatory and inhibitory, paired-pulsed facilitation, short-/long-term plasticity, spike-timing-dependent plasticity, and “memory-forgetting” behavior. Significantly, decimal arithmetic calculation (addition, subtraction, and commutative law) is realized based on the linear conductance regulation, and high precision pattern recognition (>88%) is well achieved with an artificial neural network constructed by 5 × 5 × 4 memristor array. Predictably, such kesterite-based optoelectronic memristors can greatly open the possibility of realizing multi-functional neuromorphic systems.