Dmitry Chigirev

Memristive neuromorphic chips exploit a prospective class of novel functional materials (memristors) to deploy a new architecture of spiking neural networks for developing basic blocks of brain-like systems. Memristor-based neuromorphic hardware solutions for multi-agent systems are considered as challenges in frontier areas of chip design for fast and energy-efficient computing. As functional materials, metal oxide thin films with resistive switching and memory effects (memristive structures) are recognized as a potential elemental base for new components of neuromorphic engineering, enabling a combination of both data storage and processing in a single unit. A key design issue in this case is a hardware defined functionality of neural networks. The gradient change of resistive properties of memristive elements and its non-volatile memory behavior ensure the possibility of spiking neural network organization with unsupervised learning through hardware implementation of basic synaptic mechanisms, such as Hebb's learning rules including spike — timing dependent plasticity, long-term potentiation and depression. This paper provides an overview of scientific researches carrying out at Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University "LETI" since 2014 in the field of novel electronic components for neuromorphic hardware solutions of brain-like chip design. Among the most promising concepts developed by ETU "LETI" are: the design of metal-insulator-metal structures exhibiting multilevel resistive switching (gradient tuning of resistive properties and bipolar resistive switching are combined together in a sin¬gle memristive element) for further use as artificial synaptic devices in neuromorphic chips; computing schemes for spatio-temporal pattern recognition based on spiking neural network architecture implementation; breadboard models of analogue circuits of hardware implementation of neuromorphic blocks for brain-like system developing.

A physical and technological analysis of silicon carbide epitaxial structures, as the basic components of beta-voltaic converters (BVC), has been carried out. The main factors limiting the efficiency of SiC-BVC are determined. It is shown that in order to provide the required level of electric power of a virtually non-depleting energy source, it is necessary to use series-parallel hybrid circuits of large-area beta-voltaic multichip converters.

Physical mechanisms underlying the multilevel resistive tuning over seven orders of magnitude in structures based on TiO₂/Al₂O₃ bilayers, sandwiched between platinum electrodes, are responsible for the nonlinear dependence of the conductivity of intermediate resistance states on the writing voltage. To improve the linearity of the electric-field resistance tuning, we apply a contact engineering approach. For this purpose, platinum top electrodes were replaced with aluminum and copper ones to induce the oxygen-related electrochemical reactions at the interface with the Al₂O₃ switching layer of the structures. Based on experimental results, it was found that electrode material substitution provokes modification of the physical mechanism behind the resistive switching in TiO₂/Al₂O₃ bilayers. In the case of aluminum electrodes, a memory window has been narrowed down to three orders of magnitude, while the linearity of resistance tuning was improved. For copper electrodes, a combination of effects related to metal ion diffusion with oxygen vacancies driven resistive switching was responsible for a rapid relaxation of intermediate resistance states in TiO₂/Al₂O₃ bilayers.

The article deals with the issues related to the technical implementation of environmental sensing using capacitive sensors. It proposes a design of a capacitive sensor of a planar type, and studies physical principles of its operation. The operation of the sensor in two main modes is analyzed: 1) determination of the distance to the object at known electrophysical characteristics of the object; 2) determination of the electrophysical characteristics of the object at a known distance to it. The article provides data of direct measurements of the sensor capacitance and its output signal level under various conditions.

The polycondensation of 5,5-methylene bis(2-aminophenol) and the mixture of diamines 5,5-methylene bis(2-aminophenol) and 4,4-(hexafluoroisopropylidene)dianiline (molar ratio 0.8:0.2) with isophthaloyl dichloride was used to synthesize a new heat resistant binder of the composites for microelectronics: poly(o-hydroxyamide) (POA) and poly(amido-o-hydroxy amide) (POA-F). The thermal stability of synthesized polymer coatings, as well as based on them photosensitive compositions with a naphthoquinondiazide photosensitive component were studied in the temperature range from 100 to 500 °C. Ferroelectric composites with nanodispersed lead titanate zirconate powder filler were formed based on these polymer matrices. By manipulating the conditions of the polymer formation, we obtained matrices with different stiffnesses, which reflected on the properties of the composite. The electrophysical parameters of the synthesized polymer and ferroelectric composite coatings were measured in the frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 1.5 GHz and the temperature range from 0 to 300 °C. The frequency and temperature stability of the dielectric constant of ferroelectric composite coatings up to 10 MHz and 300 °C, respectively, are noted. The influence of the composition and structure of the polymer matrix and the grain/matrix interfaces on the thermal stability of the dielectric parameters of composite films is estimated. The shift of the phase transition region toward higher temperatures in the composite structure, as well as the sufficient rigidity of the poly(benzoxazole) matrix, provide high temperature and frequency stability of the dielectric constant of the studied composites.

Experimental studies were conducted on the effects of lead oxide on the microstructure and the ferroelectric properties of lead zirconate-titanate (PZT) films obtained by the method of radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering of a ceramic PZT target and PbO₂ powder with subsequent heat treatment. It is shown that the change in ferroelectric properties of polycrystalline PZT films is attributable to their heterophase structure with impurities of lead oxide. It is also shown that, even in the original stoichiometric PZT film, under certain conditions (temperature above 580 °C, duration greater than 70 min), impurities of lead oxide may be formed. The presence of a sublayer of lead oxide leads to a denser formation of crystallization centers of the perovskite phase, resulting in a reduction of the grain size as well as the emergence of a charge on the lower interface. The formation of the perovskite structure under high-temperature annealing is accompanied by the diffusion of lead into the surface of the film. Also shown is the effect of the lead ions segregation on the formation of the self-polarized state of thin PZT films.

The high dielectric constant ferroelectric-polymer nanocomposite was developed for producing the heat-resistant and chemical stable planar layers. According to the composite coatings formation conditions, the following value ranges of dielectric constant and loss factor were received: 30–400 for dielectric constant and 0.04–0.1 for loss tangent, accordingly. Unlike of composite components, the obtained composite material is characterized by thermo-stability of electrical parameters up to 250 °C. The dielectric frequency spectra of the composite exhibit two clearly visible peaks in contrast to the spectra of the polymer and ferroelectric ceramics. The developed composite material can be used as a built-in film capacitors material in microelectronic devices.

Experimental studies of the influence of lead oxide as well as temperature and time of heat treatment on the microstructure and ferroelectric properties of PZT films obtained by the high-frequency magnetron sputtering method were carried out. It is shown that the change in the ferroelectric properties of polycrystalline PZT films can be explained by their heterophase structure with inclusions of lead oxide. It was found that the presence of a sublayer of lead oxide leads to a self-polarization of the film of the PZT. During the formation of the perovskite structure, the diffusion of lead oxide to the surface of the film occurs more intensively than after its formation.