Dissolvable Memristors for Physically Transient Neuromorphic Computing Applications

Memristors that can emulate a biological synapse have provided a promising paradigm for highly efficient neuromorphic computing applications. Integrating such an advanced computing architecture into physically transient electronic systems could enable future multifunctional and smart transient electronics. Therefore, water dissolvable memristors with high destruction speed, robust memristive characteristics, synaptic operation, and excellent compatibility with a broad set of substrates are highly sought after. We report here a physically transient memristor made from a water-soluble metal oxide, i.e., amorphous Sr3Al2O6 (SAO). The fabricated SAO-based memristors are shown to exhibit excellent memristive properties such as a high switch OFF/ON ratio of ∼106, long retention, and superior endurance as well as synaptic functionalities like spike-timing-dependent plasticity. Moreover, the SAO layer can be grown at room temperature with precise thickness control by pulsed laser deposition, suggesting facile integration of SAO onto any flexible/rigid substrates for versatile transient applications. This work demonstrates that SAO-based water dissolvable memristors could provide a promising solution for future physically transient neuromorphic electronics.