High-Performance Memristor Based on 2D Layered BiOI Nanosheet for Low-Power Artificial Optoelectronic Synapses

Artificial optoelectronic synapses with both electrical and light-induced synaptic behaviors have recently been studied for applications in neuromorphic computing and artificial vision systems. However, the combination of visual perception and high-performance information processing capabilities still faces challenges. In this work, the authors demonstrate a memristor based on 2D bismuth oxyiodide (BiOI) nanosheets that can exhibit bipolar resistive switching (RS) performance as well as electrical and light-induced synaptic plasticity eminently suitable for low-power optoelectronic synapses. The fabricated memristor exhibits high-performance RS behaviors with a high ON/OFF ratio up to 10⁵, an ultralow SET voltage of ≈0.05 V which is one order of magnitude lower than that of most reported memristors based on 2D materials, and low power consumption. Furthermore, the memristor demonstrates not only electrical voltage-driven long-term potentiation, depression plasticity, and paired-pulse facilitation, but also light-induced short- and long-term plasticity. Moreover, the photonic synapse can be used to simulate the “learning experience” behaviors of human brain. Consequently, not only the memristor based on BiOI nanosheets shows ultra-low SET voltage and low-power consumption, but also the optoelectronic synapse provides new material and strategy to construct low-power retina-like vision sensors with functions of perceiving and processing information.