Memristor Image Sensor with In-Memory Computing

2021 IEEE International Symposium on Circuits and Systems (ISCAS) to be held on-line on May 22-28, 2021, publishes all its proceedings in open access. One of the papers presents an image sensor with integrated non-volatile memory: "A new 1P1R Image Sensor with In-Memory Computing Properties based on Silicon Nitride Devices" by Nikolaos Vasileiadis, Vasileios Ntinas, Iosif-Angelos Fyrigos, Rafailia-Eleni Karamani, Vassilios Ioannou-Sougleridis, Pascal Normand, Ioannis Karafyllidis, Georgios Ch. Sirakoulis, and Panagiotis Dimitrakis from National Center for Scientific Research “Demokritos” and Democritus University of Thrace, Greece.

"Research progress in edge computing hardware, capable of demanding in-the-field processing tasks with simultaneous memory and low power properties, is leading the way towards a revolution in IoT hardware technology. Resistive random access memories (RRAM) are promising candidates for replacing current non-volatile memories and realize storage class memories, but also due to their memristive nature they are the perfect candidates for in-memory computing architectures. In this context, a CMOS compatible silicon nitride (SiN) device with memristive properties is presented accompanied by a data-fitted model extracted through analysis of measured resistance switching dynamics. Additionally, a new phototransistor-based image sensor architecture with integrated SiN memristor (1P1R) was presented. The in-memory computing capabilities of the 1P1R device were evaluated through SPICE-level circuit simulation with the previous presented device model. Finally, the fabrication aspects of the sensor are discussed."