Optogenetics-Inspired Nanofluidic Artificial Dendrite with Spatiotemporal Integration Functions

Dendrites play an essential role in processing functions by facilitating the integration of spatial and temporal information in biological system. Nanofluidic memristors, which harness ions for signal transmission within electrolyte solutions, closely resemble biological neuronal ion channels and hold the potential for the development of biorealistic neuromorphic devices. Herein, inspired by the optogenetic technique that utilized light to tune the ions dynamic, an optical-controlled nanofluidic artificial dendrite by embedding layered graphene oxide (GO) within a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer is developed. Taking advantage of the confinement effect of ions in the nanochannel, it has demonstrated optically-modulated ionic currents, which can effectively replicate dendritic functions. The mechanism can be attributed to the migration of Na⁺ ions, driven by the electric potential difference light illumination. The dendritic spatial and temporal multiport integrations are realized, including the dendritic sublinear/superlinear integrations and spike-rate-dependent plasticity (SRDP). Moreover, the hand withdrawal reflex, as a crucial mode of neuroregulation governed by central nerve and brain control signals, is replicated in the nanofluidic dendrite-based neuromorphic system, capable of managing a range of withdrawal states of a mechanical arm. This work offers a new strategy for developing nanofluidic artificial dendrite and paves the way toward developing advanced neuromorphic sensorimotor systems.