APL Materials (Jan 2015)

A bio-inspired memory device based on interfacing Physarum polycephalum with an organic semiconductor

  • Agostino Romeo,
  • Alice Dimonte,
  • Giuseppe Tarabella,
  • Pasquale D’Angelo,
  • Victor Erokhin,
  • Salvatore Iannotta

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4902817
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 3, no. 1
pp. 014909 – 014909-6

Abstract

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The development of devices able to detect and record ion fluxes is a crucial point in order to understand the mechanisms that regulate communication and life of organisms. Here, we take advantage of the combined electronic and ionic conduction properties of a conducting polymer to develop a hybrid organic/living device with a three-terminal configuration, using the Physarum polycephalum Cell (PPC) slime mould as a living bio-electrolyte. An over-oxidation process induces a conductivity switch in the polymer, due to the ionic flux taking place at the PPC/polymer interface. This behaviour endows a current-depending memory effect to the device.