The study of the electrophysical properties of a composite memristor-diode crossbar as a basis of the neuroprocessor hardware implementation

About the authors:

Alexander D. Pisarev, Cand. Sci. (Tech.), Associate Professor, Department of Applied and Technical Physics, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; Senior Researcher, Memristive Materials Laboratory, Center for Nature-Inspired Engineering, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; spcb.doc@utmn.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5602-3880

Alexander N. Busygin, Cand. Sci. (Phys.-Math.), Associate Professor, Department of Applied and Technical Physics, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; Senior Researcher, Memristive Materials Laboratory, Center for Nature-Inspired Engineering, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; a.n.busygin@utmn.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3439-8067

Andrey N. Bobylev, Head of the Laboratory of Electronic and Probe Microscopy. REC “Nanotechnology”, University of Tyumen; eLibrary AuthorID, ScopusID, andreaubobylev@gmail.com; ORCID: 0000-0001-5488-8736

Alexey A. Gubin, Postgraduate Student, Department of Applied and Technical Physics, Engineer, REC “Nanotechnology”, University of Tyumen; a.a.gubin@utmn.ru

Sergey Yu. Udovichenko, Dr. Sci. (Phys.-Math.), Professor, Department of Applied and Tech­nical Physics, School of Natural Sciences, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; Scientific Director of the Memristive Materials Laboratory, Center for Nature-Inspired Engineering, University of Tyumen, Tyumen, Russia; udotgu@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3583-7081

Abstract:

The aim of this article lies in checking the efficiency of memory and logic matrices. Achieving this has required producing a composite memristor-diode crossbar and studying its electrophysical properties. For these purposes, the authors have made a measuring bench, which consists of a composite memristor-diode crossbar, control peripheral circuitry, based on discrete elements with CMOS logic, and Keithley SourceMeter 2400.

The silicon junction p-Si/n-Si has been chosen because its electrical properties better suit the Zenner diode’s requirements compared to the p-Si/ZnO junction. The memristor-diode crossbar with the TiN/Ti_0,93Al_0,07O_x/p-Si/n-Si/W structure was made with implementation of a new diode. The results show that the crossbar cell with a p-Si/n-Si diode has better rectifying properties in comparison with a p-Si/ZnO_x diode, because the current in the crossbar cell with positive voltage bias is much higher than with negative voltage bias. Strong rectifying properties of the cell are necessary for the functioning of diode logic in the logic matrix and for memristor state recording in the logic and memory matrices.

The study of electrophysical properties of the composite memristor-diode crossbar, measurement of current-voltage characteristics of the diode and composite memristor-diode crossbar cell and signal processing were performed. The signal processing was performed in the following modes: addition of output impulses of neurons and their routing to synapses of other neurons; multiplication of number matrix by vector, performed in the memory matrix with weighing and totalling of signals; and associative self-learning.

For the first time, the generation of a new association (new knowledge) in the composite memristor-diode crossbar has been shown, as opposed to associative self-learning in existing hardware neural networks with discrete-memristors-based synapses. The change of crossbar cell’s output current caused by parasitic currents through adjacent cells has been determined. The results show that the control over Zenner diode characteristics allows reducing the power consumption of the composite crossbar. Obtained electrophysical characteristics prove the efficiency of the composite memristor-diode crossbar, intended for production of the memory and logic matrices.

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