Possibility of information encoding/decoding using the memory effect in fractional-order capacitive devices

Abstract

Abstract In this study, we show that the discharge voltage pattern of a supercapacitor exhibiting fractional-order behavior from the same initial steady-state voltage into a constant resistor is dependent on the past charging voltage profile. The charging voltage was designed to follow a power-law function, i.e. $$v_c(t)=V_{cc} \left( {t}/{t_{ss}}\right) ^p \;(0<t \leqslant t_{ss})$$ v c ( t ) = V cc t / t ss p ( 0 < t ⩽ t ss ) , in which $$t_{ss}$$ t ss (charging time duration between zero voltage to the terminal voltage $$V_{cc}$$ V cc ) and p ( $$0<p<1$$ 0 < p < 1 ) act as two variable parameters. We used this history-dependence of the dynamic behavior of the device to uniquely retrieve information pre-coded in the charging waveform pattern. Furthermore, we provide an analytical model based on fractional calculus that explains phenomenologically the information storage mechanism. The use of this intrinsic material memory effect may lead to new types of methods for information storage and retrieval.