Simulating Synaptic Behaviors through Frequency Modulation in a Capacitor-Memristor Circuit

Micromachines (Basel). 2023 Oct 29;14(11):2014. doi: 10.3390/mi14112014.

Abstract

Memristors, known for their adjustable and non-volatile resistance, offer a promising avenue for emulating synapses. However, achieving pulse frequency-dependent synaptic plasticity in memristors or memristive systems necessitates further exploration. In this study, we present a novel approach to modulate the conductance of a memristor in a capacitor-memristor circuit by finely tuning the frequency of input pulses. Our experimental results demonstrate that these phenomena align with the long-term depression (LTD) and long-term potentiation (LTP) observed in synapses, which are induced by the frequency of action potentials. Additionally, we successfully implement a Hebbian-like learning mechanism in a simple circuit that connects a pair of memristors to a capacitor, resulting in observed associative memory formation and forgetting processes. Our findings highlight the potential of capacitor-memristor circuits in faithfully replicating the frequency-dependent behavior of synapses, thereby offering a valuable contribution to the development of brain-inspired neural networks.

Keywords: Hebbian-like learning mechanism; LTD; LTP; memristors; synaptic plasticity.

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 12174050) and the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province (BK20231411).