Goal: The aim of MemWerk is the comprehensive investigation of memristive materials for neuromorphic electronics, i.e. for electronics inspired by biology which are extremely energy-efficient. In those electronic systems memristive materials act as the central component of the hardware. Memristive materials have a memory effect and allow the realization of devices whose function is in many ways similar to that of synapses. With these memristive devices, neuromorphic systems can be created that technically reproduce the biological paradigms of information processing (learning and memory formation) more precisely than ever before and that offer a completely new hardware basis for information technology.
Challenges: The focus of the project is a parameter-oriented development of memristive materials. For this the experimental and theoretical investigations ranges from the synthesis of memristive materials to the fabrication and modeling of memristive devicess, comprehensive material analysis and device characterization, and the design and realization of neural network topologies for the implementation of neuromorphic circuits in hardware. An extremely important aspect of MemWerk is the development of a material atlas for memristive materials using concepts of digitization. This atlas will combine the material parameters (material properties) and the process parameters (technological parameters of material synthesis and component manufacture) in direct relation to the characteristics and performance parameters of memristive devices and neuromorphic circuits. This makes it possible to tailor materials for neuromorphic systems.
