Light-stimulated synaptic transistor based on photo-induced oxidation of organic semiconductors

Abstract

Light-stimulated synaptic transistors offer a promising platform for neuromorphic computing and artificial vision by emulating biological synaptic behaviors with optical control. In this study, we demonstrate a photonic synaptic transistor based on an organic semiconductor system, exhibiting tunable excitatory postsynaptic current, paired-pulse facilitation, and synaptic weight modulation under varying light intensities and pulse durations. The underlying mechanism is attributed to oxygen-induced charge trapping, as confirmed by electronic structure analysis and Kelvin probe force microscopy. Furthermore, the device is integrated into an artificial neural network for delay reservoir computing, achieving high recognition accuracy in Modified National Institute of Standards and Technology digit classification. These findings highlight the potential of light-driven neuromorphic hardware for energy-efficient, high-speed, and flexible artificial intelligence applications, paving the way for the development of next-generation optical neuromorphic processors.

Keywords

light-stimulated plasticity / neuromorphic electronics / optoelectronic synaptic transistors / organic semiconductors / photo-induced oxidation

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2026 The Author(s). FlexMat published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Nanjing University of Posts & Telecommunications.