Technology


Researchers open door to next-generation memristive devices


Researchers from Sahmyook University in Seoul, South Korea, have developed a silver dispersive chalcogenide thin film as the resistance-switching material in memristive devices, significantly improving their data retention and endurance. Memristive devices are vital electronic


components since they retain their internal resistance, offering much better performance than conventional ICs. However, they can suffer from low data retention and poor endurance, as well as being costly and time consuming to make. Te Sahmyook University researchers’ thin-


film process is “electro-forming-free” – i.e., it does not require an electric current to induce chemical change before manufacture or operation. Tis enables low-power operation via formation of an active layer. Te device demonstrated both state


retention and reliable endurance even in a challenging environment of 85o


C. Te technology is expected to meet the


A silver-dispersive chalcogenide thin film boosts memristive device performance


needs of Big Data applications, where the terabyte unit of storage is now considered too small. However, this poses the challenge of managing a large volume of ICs, which has turned researchers’ focus to “neuromorphic” devices as the next-generation semiconductor for artificial intelligence systems. Tese chips possess characteristics like low power consumption, compact size and the capability to analyse human behaviour patterns.


“Employing the diffusive silver-based


memristive device structures could lead to the development of neuromorphic chips with extensive applications in Fourth Industrial Revolution markets, including data analysis, speech and facial recognition, autonomous vehicles and the Internet of Tings, as well as contributing to the ongoing 5G communication evolution,” said Professor Min Kyu Yang, the team’s lead.


New, flexible temperature sensor uses microwaves for a wider sensing rangev


Engineers at UK universities have developed a new method of measuring temperature through the interaction of a soſt and flexible ‘smart skin’ sensor with electromagnetic waves. Te flexible sensor’s ability to absorb and reflect RF signals varies with atmospheric heat or cold, enabling the sensing of temperature across a much greater range than other devices. Termistors, for example, work by changing resistance in response to changes in temperature. However, they can only measure narrow ranges of temperature variations, requiring an array of different thermistors to cover a wider sensing range. Te new soſt, flexible temperature sensor,


developed by the University of Glasgow, can read temperatures across a record- breaking range from 30°C to over 200°C. Tis will make wireless sensors cheaper and more sustainable, since fewer devices will be needed to cover the same temperature sensing range.


06 March 2024 www.electronicsworld.co.uk “Many researchers have used RF and


microwave devices to measure liquid formulations, temperature, humidity and other properties, but this level of sensitivity has not been demonstrated before,” said Dr Mahmoud Wagih, UK IC Research Fellow and Lecturer at the University of Glasgow, who led the study. Te sensor is made of carbon fibres and


silicon rubber composite, and works without battery power or any onboard processing. Fellow researchers from the University of Southampton helped develop the sensor’s material, which can be bent and stretched for thousands of cycles without losing sensitivity to temperature. Also, the material allows the sensor to be integrated into bendable electronics and smart fabrics. “Our composite can easily be moulded


into any shape,” said Wagih. “Tese skin- like substrates can also be used to design antennas for covering large areas, which can


then radiate signals that are highly sensitive to temperature changes.” Collaborators from Loughborough


University characterised the new material’s electrical properties, demonstrating its operation in the 5G RF spectrum – 26GHz. Te team suggest that with “anisotropic” properties that change how the material interacts with electric fields in different directions, the composite could be further tailored to enhance or reduce sensitivity to specific wireless signals. It could also underpin many other applications, including vital signs monitoring in the medical field, radar sensing in automotive, satellite communications and 6G wireless networks. Tis project is funded by the UK


Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) and supported by the Royal Society, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Office of the Chief Science Adviser for National Security.


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