A Multifunctional Self-Rectifying Memristor Enabling LIF Neuron and Nociceptor Behaviors

To adapt to diverse tasks under varying operational environments, memristor devices are usually required to emulate multiple biological functions. However, integrating such diverse functionalities within a single self-rectifying memristor remains a significant challenge. In this work, we report a self-rectifying memristor based on a Pt/TiO<sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">x</sub>N<sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">y</sub>/HfO<sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub>/W structure. For the first time, we demonstrate that a single device can emulate both leaky integrate-and-fire (LIF) neuron and nociceptor behaviors. Under pulse stimulation with a 10 μs width, the device functions as an LIF neuron, while increasing the pulse width to 100 μs or longer enables nociceptor-like responses. Notably, the LIF neuron operation exhibits ultra-low energy consumption of only 0.8 fJ/spike. In addition, the device exhibits a high rectifying ratio (>10⁵), large switching ratio (>10⁴), and ultra-low leakage current (~100 pA). This multifunctional self-rectifying memristor offers a promising pathway toward compact neuromorphic systems by enabling simplified device architectures with integrated perceptual and computational capabilities.