Memristor - definition
Memristor - definition
Memristor (memory resistor) is a non-linear, two-terminal electronic element whose resistance depends on the total electrical charge that has flowed through it over time. This means that the memristor 'remembers' its conduction history and its current conduction state is a function of past current signals. When voltage is removed, it retains its last resistance value, which gives it the properties of non-volatile memory.
The concept of the memristor was introduced theoretically by Leon Chua in 1971 as the fourth fundamental circuit element, alongside the resistor, capacitor and coil. Formally, it is defined as an element whose resistance depends on the magnetic flux or integral voltage as a function of time. In physical practice, memristors are most often realised as thin-film semiconductor or oxide structures, in which the change in resistance occurs as a result of ion displacement or defects in the material structure.
This phenomenon is used to store information in an analogue or discrete manner, without the need for a backup power supply. Unlike classical memory chips, memristors can simultaneously store data and participate in information processing, making them a candidate for the realisation of so-called in-memory computing and neuromorphic computing architectures.
Thanks to their properties, memristors find applications in modern non-volatile memory technologies (e.g. ReRAM), artificial synapses in neural networks, next-generation logic circuits and adaptive systems. Their development opens up new possibilities for miniaturisation, energy savings and the realisation of functions that are difficult to achieve with conventional electronic components.
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