SynapSSU: An open-source Python software for synchronized and precision timing-controlled synaptic device characterization

초록

The rapid advancement of artificial intelligence (AI) has driven a significant increase in the development of synaptic devices, which promise energy-efficient computing by mimicking the biological brain. However, the characterization of these devices requires precise timing control and unconventional biasing schemes, which are often difficult to implement using standard source-meter units (SMUs). Here, we report SynapSSU, an opensource software tool designed to control multiple SMUs for applying synchronized electrical or optical pulses and recording the subsequent device responses. The software supports various essential synaptic characterizations, including excitatory post-synaptic current (EPSC), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), and long-term potentiation/depression (PD). Its intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) facilitates efficient parameter tuning, data management, and real-time visualization. By leveraging a multi-threaded architecture, SynapSSU ensures highprecision timing control at the millisecond scale. This software provides a cost-effective solution for characterizing synaptic devices using widely available SMUs, thereby accelerating neuromorphic research worldwide.

키워드