Bioresistive Random-Access Memory with Gold Nanoparticles that Generate the Coulomb Blocking Effect Can Realize Multilevel Data Storage and Synapse Simulation

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) have good biocompatibility and special quantum effects. In this Letter, we embedded Au NPs into silkworm hemolymph (SH) to improve the performance of the device and fabricated Al/SH:Au NPs/indium tin oxide (ITO)/glass resistive random access memory. The device exhibits a bipolar switching behavior with a retention time of 10⁴ s. Compared with the Al/SH/ITO device without Au NPs, the device has a higher ON/OFF current ratio (>10⁵) and a smaller V_reset. The improvement in device performance is attributed to the fact that Au NPs act as the electron-trapping center in the device; a Coulomb blockade occurs after electrons are trapped, thereby increasing the resistance of the device in the high-resistance state. Using optimized devices can realize multilevel data storage and can also simulate synaptic characteristics such as potentiation and depression. The device is expected to be applied to high-density, low-cost, degradable, and biocompatible storage devices and neuromorphic computing in the future.