ABSTRACT
The fastest supercomputer, Summit, has a speed comparable to the human brain, but is much less energy-efficient (≈1010 FLOPS W-1 , floating point operations per second per watt) than the brain (≈1015 FLOPS W-1 ). The brain processes and learns from "big data" concurrently via trillions of synapses in parallel analog mode. By contrast, computers execute algorithms on physically separated logic and memory transistors in serial digital mode, which fundamentally restrains computers from handling "big data" efficiently. The existing electronic devices can perform inference with high speeds and energy efficiencies, but they still lack the synaptic functions to facilitate concurrent convolutional inference and correlative learning efficiently like the brain. In this work, synaptic resistors are reported to emulate the analog convolutional signal processing, correlative learning, and nonvolatile memory functions of synapses. By circumventing the fundamental limitations of computers, a synaptic resistor circuit performs speech inference and learning concurrently in parallel analog mode with an energy efficiency of ≈1.6 × 1017 FLOPS W-1 , which is about seven orders of magnitudes higher than that of the Summit supercomputer. Scaled-up synstor circuits could circumvent the fundamental limitations in computers, and facilitate real-time inference and learning from "big data" with high efficiency and speed in intelligent systems.
ABSTRACT
Transitions in the backbone conformation of polythiophenes (PTs) in organic solvents, measurable spectroscopically, have been widely observed to influence thin-film morphology; however, such conformational transitions of water-soluble PT derivatives, with respect to their intramolecular versus intermolecular origin, remain largely obscure. Here, we report on dynamic conformational transitions of poly(3-potassium hexanoate thiophene) in aqueous cetyltrimethylammonium bromide investigated by means of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing optical microscopy, and ultraviolet-visible absorption and fluorescence spectroscopy. As-prepared complexes exist as stable hydrogels. Upon dilution, a significant time-dependent chromism occurs spontaneously. A coil-to-rod conformational transition is identified in this mechanism. Study into the corresponding kinetics demonstrates an inverse first-order rate law. It is found that the conformational transition is thermally reversible and concentration-independent. The critical transition temperature is largely dependent on the surfactant architecture. A theoretical model is presented to explain this new phenomenon and the mechanisms behind its influence on the optoelectronic properties.
