Electrically Stimulated Synaptic Resistive Switch in Solution-Processed Silicon Nanocrystal Thin Film: Formation Mechanism of Oxygen Vacancy Filament for Synaptic Function

Abstract

We demonstrate an electrically stimulated synaptic resistive switch in a silicon nanocrystal (Si NC) thin film. A forming-free resistive switching occurs on the surface of natively oxidized Si NCs because of filaments of oxygen vacancies. To show a gradual change of the resistance, we investigate a formation mechanism of an oxygen vacancy filament. This gradual change in the resistance with input voltage pulses corresponds to short-term plasticity (STP) and long-term potentiation (LTP) in biological synapses. We simulate spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP) in the resistive switch by voltage pulses.