New Synaptic Transistor Mimics Brain's Processing and Memory Functions

The device, developed by researchers at Northwestern University, Boston College and MIT, uses atomically thin materials and moiré physics for neuromorphic functionality at room temperature.

• Researchers have developed a new synaptic transistor that performs energy-efficient associative learning at room temperature, inspired by the human brain's ability to simultaneously process and store information.
• The new device, designed by researchers at Northwestern University, Boston College and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), is stable at room temperatures, operates at fast speeds, consumes very little energy and retains stored information even when power is removed.
• The transistor uses two different types of atomically thin materials: bilayer graphene and hexagonal boron nitride. When stacked and purposefully twisted, the materials form a moiré pattern, allowing for different electronic properties in each graphene layer.
• The device was tested by training it to recognize similar—but not identical—patterns, demonstrating its associative learning capabilities.
• Despite the promising results, the fabrication of the device is complex and scaling up the technology for widespread industrial use remains a challenge.

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