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Related Concept Videos

The Synapse02:47

The Synapse

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Neurons communicate with one another by passing on their electrical signals to other neurons. A synapse is the location where two neurons meet to exchange signals. At the synapse, the neuron that sends the signal is called the presynaptic cell, while the neuron that receives the message is called the postsynaptic cell. Note that most neurons can be both presynaptic and postsynaptic, as they both transmit and receive information.
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P-N junction01:11

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A p-n junction is formed when p-type and n-type semiconductor materials are joined together. At the interface of the p-n junction, holes from the p-side and electrons from the n-side begin to diffuse into the opposite sides due to the concentration gradient. This diffusion of carriers leads to a region around the junction where there are no free charge carriers, known as the depletion region. The charge density within the depletion region for the n-side and p-side can be described by the...
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Electrical Synapses01:28

Electrical Synapses

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Electrical synapses found in all nervous systems play important and unique roles. In these synapses, the presynaptic and postsynaptic membranes are very close together (3.5 nm) and are actually physically connected by channel proteins forming gap junctions.
Gap junctions allow the current to pass directly from one cell to the next. In contrast, in the chemical synapse, the neurotransmitters carry the information through the synaptic cleft from one neuron to the next. They consist of two...
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
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Chemical Synapses01:26

Chemical Synapses

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Chemical synapses are specialized sites between two neurons or between a neuron and a non-neuronal cell like a muscle, glandular or sensory cell.
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Power01:08

Power

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The concept of work involves force and displacement; meanwhile, the work-energy theorem relates the net work done on a body to the difference in its kinetic energy, calculated between two points on its trajectory. While none of these quantities or relations involves time explicitly, we know that the time available to accomplish work is often just as important as the amount of work itself. For example, sprinters in a race may have achieved the same velocity at the finish, therefore,...
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The Neuromuscular Junction: Measuring Synapse Size, Fragmentation and Changes in Synaptic Protein Density Using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
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Ultralow power artificial synapses using nanotextured magnetic Josephson junctions.

Michael L Schneider1, Christine A Donnelly1, Stephen E Russek1

  • 1National Institute of Standards Technology, Boulder, CO 80305, USA.

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Researchers developed novel artificial synapses using superconducting Josephson junctions. These synapses are significantly more energy-efficient than the human brain, paving the way for advanced neuromorphic computing.

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The Neuromuscular Junction: Measuring Synapse Size, Fragmentation and Changes in Synaptic Protein Density Using Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy
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Area of Science:

  • Materials Science
  • Neuroscience
  • Computer Engineering

Background:

  • Neuromorphic computing aims to enhance computational efficiency for tasks like perception and decision-making.
  • Current artificial neural networks, despite advancements, are far less energy-efficient than the human brain.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To demonstrate a new type of artificial synapse for more energy-efficient neuromorphic computing.
  • To develop a synapse technology that approaches the efficiency of biological synapses.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized dynamically reconfigurable superconducting Josephson junctions with magnetic nanoclusters in the barrier.
  • Engineered artificial synapses using niobium (Nb) electrodes and a silicon (Si) barrier with manganese (Mn) nanoclusters.
  • Demonstrated synaptic weight tuning via electrical pulses that alter magnetic spin alignment.

Main Results:

  • Achieved spiking energy per pulse below 1 attojoule (aJ), significantly lower than the human brain's ~10 femtojoule (fJ).
  • Successfully demonstrated synaptic weight training using electrical pulses as low as 3 aJ.
  • Observed Josephson plasma frequencies exceeding 100 GHz, indicating fast dynamical time scales.

Conclusions:

  • The developed artificial synapses represent a significant advancement for creating faster and more energy-efficient neuromorphic platforms.
  • This technology enables the potential for greater computational complexity in neuromorphic systems compared to existing technologies.