Single-Transistor Optoelectronic Spiking Neuron with Optogenetics-Inspired Spatiotemporal Dynamics

The visual system is crucial for human perception and learning, and the retina is responsible for pre-processing visual information. Mimicking the neurobiological functions of the retina provides the basis for neuromorphic vision hardware. Here, an optogenetics-inspired prototype capable of modifying neuron-spiking behavior in a retina-like manner is demonstrated. In addition to basic information processing, neuronal signal transmission in the retina is bio-faithfully emulated using optical modulation, that is, neuronal firing is inhibited in the dark and activated upon illumination. The proposed single threshold-switch field-effect transistor optoelectronic neuron features an ultra-compact design by integrating a gate-modulated 2D MoS2 channel with a volatile threshold switch, and optoelectronic performance is achieved through a multi-physics resistance-matching mechanism. This study provides a promising pathway toward highly scalable and hierarchically designed spiking electronics, expanding the spectrum of neuromorphic hardware applications in the emerging field of biomimetic vision. A single-transistor optoelectronic neuron with optogenetics-inspired spatiotemporal dynamics, which not only replicates biological neuron behavior, but is also capable of modifying neuron spiking behavior through optical modulation in a retina-like manner. image