Stretchable synaptic transistors with tunable synaptic behavior

Abstract

Stretchable synaptic transistors (SSTs) are of paramount importance for the development of soft machines and neuromorphic systems. Unfortunately, the reports about SSTs are very limited and more importantly, the impact of the mechanical deformations that occur in stretchable electronics during practical applications, on the behavior of SSTs has never been reported. In this work, a simple and universal method was introduced to fabricate a stretchable organic synaptic transistor using wavy networks P3HT nanofibers as a semiconductor and the effect of mechanical deformation on its behavior at different deformation states is investigated for the first time. Our SSTs exhibited excellent mechanical stability even after experiencing large stretching deformation. More importantly, our results demonstrated that the learning and memory behavior, and the decay constants of synaptic transistors, which are among the most important parameters for biologic sensory neurons, can be tuned by mechanical deformation, which is associated with mechanical deformation dependant ion transport in ion-gel. These results offer a promising direction for utilizing mechanical deformation to develop different functional devices. Our SSTs with tunable synaptic behavior can facilitate the development of wearable and implantable artificial neuromorphic systems and soft machines. A stretchable organic synaptic transistor is demonstrated using wavy P3HT-NF as semiconductor. Stretchable synaptic transistor exhibits excellent mechanical stability and its behavior can be tuned by mechanical deformation via controlling the movement of ion in ion-gel. Our work shows the possibility of utilizing mechanical deformation to regulate electrical performance for stretchable devices and develop synapses with different decay constants and functionality. • A stretchable organic synaptic transistor with excellent mechanical stability using wavy poly(3-hexylthiophene) nanofibrils (P3HT-NF) as a semiconductor is demonstrated. • The stretchable synapse transistor exhibits a series of synaptic behavior and electrical performance at released states even after large stretching deformation. • Our works firstly demonstrated that the learning and memory behavior and the decay constants of synaptic transistors can be significantly impacted by mechanical deformation, offering another degree of freedom to manipulate the electronic properties of synaptic transistors.