Switching-enhanced RRAM for reliable synaptic simulation and multilevel data storage

In this study, silkworm body fluid (SF), a natural biological material, was compounded with gold nano particles (Au NPs) to form a dielectric layer, and the biodegradable resistive random access memory (RRAM) of Al/SF:Au NPs/indium tin oxide (ITO) was fabricated. The experimental results show that embedding Au NPs increases the ON/OFF current ratio of the Al/SF:Au NPs/ITO device to 5.22 x 10(5). The resistances of the high resistance and low resistance states of the Al/SF:Au NPs/ITO device are well maintained, reaching 10(4) s. These devices can be easily fabricated using solution-based processes on substrates at room temperature, and they have reliable data storage capability. Because the compliance current is controlled, a single memory cell of a device based on SF:Au NPs has a multilevel (8 levels, 3 bits) resistance state for high density storage, enabling multilevel data storage. Application of the device in simulating neurobehavior is further explored, and potentiation and depression of the simulated synapse can be achieved by applying pulses to the device. SF:Au NP-based RRAM shows great potential in multilevel data storage and neuromorphic computing. RRAM based on natural biomaterials has the advantages of biocompatibility, biodegradability and low cost, and it provides an important step toward the future development of bioelectronic devices. (C) 2021 Published by Elsevier B.V.