A team of scientists has discovered a neuron-like electrical switching mechanism in the solid-state material. The team has used the new mechanism to clarify the underlying mechanism that drives this behavior- CuxV2O5, an unusual chameleon-like material that changes with temperature or electrical stimulus. During this process, they observed how copper ions move within the material and how this subtle dance in turn throws electrons to change it. The study indicates that the movement of copper ions is connected to the fluctuation in electrical conductivity that can be used to produce electrical surges as similar to neurons function in the brain’s nervous system. This is an important step in the development of inorganic materials for brain-like computing and paves way for the development of new design principles for tuning materials properties.
