Mechanically Gated Vertical Ion Channels for Fast Strain‐Sensitive Neuromorphic Memristor

Abstract

ABSTRACT Integrating sensing functions into memristors is promising to realize in‐sensor computing with unpreceded energy efficiency and minimized latency. Strain‐sensitive memristors gradually draw attention in neuromorphic tactile sensing applications, but still face the sensitivity‐response time tradeoff dilemma. Here, we demonstrate that antiphase boundaries (APBs) in thin‐film structures function as mechanically gated vertical ion channels in a strain‐sensitive neuromorphic memristor, which can achieve high sensitivity (strain gauge factor of 1.7 × 10 4 ) and rapid response (≤3 ms) while exhibiting synaptic plasticity. Through atomic‐scale scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and nanoscale conducting atomic force microscopy (C‐AFM), we confirm APBs as preferential oxygen vacancy migration paths, whose conductivity is dynamically modulated by electrical and mechanical stimuli synchronous and directly. Excellent electrically (25500% on/off ratio at −7 V) and mechanically tunable conductive (enhanced 15167% with ∼3.3 µN force) behavior along APBs pillars is clearly observed. While synapse‐like information processing functions are also further demonstrated with APBs pillars, and a high image classification accuracy (97.7%) within 100 learning epochs is achieved in a two‐level artificial neural network via simulation. This work establishes a potential pathway for integrated sensing and computing systems for next‐generation intelligent robotics and adaptive prosthetics.