Iontronic Neuromorphic Signaling with Conical Microfluidic Memristors

• Main Authors: Kamsma, T. M, Boon, W. Q, ter Rele, T, Spitoni, C, van Roij, R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 27-06-2023
• Subjects: Physics - Soft Condensed Matter; Quantitative Biology - Neurons and Cognition
• DOI: 10.48550/arxiv.2301.06158

Physical Review Letters (2023), Vol 130, Issue 26, Pages 268401 Experiments have shown that the conductance of conical channels, filled with
an aqueous electrolyte, can strongly depend on the history of the applied
voltage. These channels hence have a memory and are promising elements in
brain-inspired (iontronic) circuits. We show here that the memory of such
channels stems from transient concentration polarization over the ionic
diffusion time. We derive an analytic approximation for these dynamics which
shows good agreement with full finite-element calculations. Using our analytic
approximation, we propose an experimentally realisable Hodgkin-Huxley iontronic
circuit where micrometer cones take on the role of sodium and potassium
channels. Our proposed circuit exhibits key features of neuronal communication
such as all-or-none action potentials upon a pulse stimulus and a spike train
upon a sustained stimulus.