Compliance-Free and Forming-Free Digital and Analog Resistive Switching in a Perovskite-Based Artificial Synaptic Device: Mimicking Classical Pavlovian Learning

With the rapid progress of artificial intelligence, the integration of biological capabilities into electronic devices has become crucial. In this context, memristive synaptic devices have emerged as key components in bio-inspired electronics for advancing computational applications. However, there are limited reports on achieving multifunctional switching behavior, combining analog resistive switching (ARS) and digital resistive switching (DRS) behaviors in a single-perovskite oxide-based device. In this work, we demonstrate ARS and fundamental synaptic functionalities, including classical Pavlovian learning in a La 1– x Sr x MnO 3−δ (LSMO)-based memristor. Notably, both compliance-free and forming-free DRS and ARS behaviors are observed in a single LSMO-based memristor fabricated using pulsed laser deposition. Remarkably, all fundamental bio-synaptic features such as potentiation, depression, spike-time-dependent plasticity, paired-pulse facilitation, transition from short-term memory to long-term memory, and learning–forgetting–relearning behaviors are successfully emulated based on the change in device response. Furthermore, we achieve notable improvements in resistive switching (RS) parameters and biosynaptic features due to the proximity of the metal–insulator transition temperature to the room temperature. Hence, this study paves the way for integrating memory and complex learning rules in a single-perovskite-based thin-film device for advanced computing applications.