Ultrahigh Sensitive Human Inspired Neurons for Artificial Nociceptor Systems

Mimicking human brain functionalities with neuromorphic devices represents a pivotal breakthrough in developing bioinspired electronic systems. The human somatosensory system provides critical environmental information and facilitates responses to harmful stimuli, endowing us with good adaptive capabilities. However, current sensing technologies often struggle with insufficient sensitivity, dynamic response, and integration challenges. In this work, we present an ultrahigh sensitive cross-modal injury perception system based on a Pt/BaTiO₃ (BTO)/HfO₂/TiN structure. This device can detect and process subtle changes in both tactile and visual stimuli. Its performance is primarily attributed to the incorporation of a BTO interlayer within the HfO₂ functional layer. The abundant oxygen vacancies (OVs) in the BTO layer enable precise control over the formation and disruption of conductive filaments (CFs) in the BTO/HfO₂ memristor, which results in a device exhibiting nociceptor-like characteristics with ultrahigh sensitivity. It demonstrates key features such as a threshold response, lack of adaptation, relaxation, and sensitization─where even a slight increase in stimulus triggers a significant response. Moreover, integrating the BTO/HfO₂ sensor into a cross-modal system enables the simulation of visual, tactile, and pain perception, highlighting its potential for advanced human-machine interaction applications.