Illustration from Scientific Research

Analogies between signal processing in biological (a) and artificial (b) photon-avalanching synapse (PAS). a) Neurons communicate in spatiotemporal domain by transmitting electrical spike trains from presynaptic neurons, over axons to dendrites of the postsynaptic neurons. Communication occurs in synapses through neurotransmitters modulated Na+influx. b) 8% Tm3+-doped NaYF4core passivated with undoped NaYF4shell avalanching nanoparticles (ANPs) as photon-avalanching synapse accepts 1060 nm photon pulses as input signal and emits 800 nm photons as output; energy scheme of Tm3+ion pair is presented in the inset with the processes k, W, s referring to Equations (S3)–(S5) (Supporting Information).

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