Graphene Diamond Junctions Mimic Brain Function

Researchers from Nagoya University created graphene-diamond junctions capable of mimicking some of the human brain’s functions. The work opens doors for next-generation image-sensing memory devices. The impetus for the research stems from the fact that computer architectures are subjected to complex data, which limits their processing speed, whereas the human brain can process highly complex data, such as images, with high efficiency. A phenomenon known as “synaptic plasticity,” the ability of synapses (neuronal links) to adapt in response to an increased or decreased activity, is essential to human memory and learning. In the lab, research groups have attempted to re-create this effect using transistors and...