Optically Mediated Nanofluidic Synapse for Ionotronic Logic Circuits

ABSTRACT In the nervous system, the transmission and processing of biological information rely on precise regulation of ion transport, which inspired the development of artificial ion channels for emulating neuromorphic information processing. In this work, we designed a Janus membrane containing asymmetric ion selective nanochannels to realize an optically modulated ionic synapse. By introducing photo‐responsive spiropyran groups onto the poly(aryl ether sulfone) backbone, the asymmetric charge distribution in the channel establishes a stable built‐in electric field, thereby enabling optical control over the charge density of the nanochannels. The Janus membrane exhibited ionic diode behavior with optically modulated ionic rectification characteristics, which can simulate short‐term plasticity such as paired pulse facilitation and spike rate‐dependent plasticity. Furthermore, logical circuits containing multiple diode‐based synaptic devices perform optically mediated logic outputs through the integration of optical and electrical inputs. This work provides a promising strategy for designing a reconfigurable logical operation on signal processing through smart regulation of ions.