A closer look at the research
Bejoys Jacob, PhD candidate at INL and lead author of the study, explains that when the light intensity surpasses a certain threshold, the device enters a state called negative differential resistance.
This triggers large amplitude voltage oscillations, meaning the incoming light signal is converted into rhythmic electrical bursts, mirroring the firing patterns of biological neurons.
According to Jacob, conventional neuromorphic hardware relies on intricate circuits that integrate separate memory components and oscillators to mimic how biological neurons process information, which in turn increases the system’s size, power consumption, and complexity.