Neuromorphic Circuits

Project Description:

A class project to design a simple neuron in Cadence Virtuoso. The neuron contains two synapse circuits, an analog adder circuit, dendritic spiking circuit, and axon hillock circuit. The two synapse circuits receive voltage inputs and produce excitatory post synaptic potentials (EPSP) which are summed through the voltage adder circuit (current mirror). The summation of the EPSPs go to a dendritic spiking circuit and feedforward circuit which produces a dendritic spike only if both synapses have received an input. The dendritic circuit connects to an axon hillock spiking circuit to output an action potential (AP). Designed in 45nm technology, this circuit is true to biological behavior as verified through waveform behavior in simulation.

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Responsibilities:

• Design synapse, voltage adder, and spiking circuits in Cadence Virtuoso using Professor Alice Parker's BioRC group's circuit architectures to create a simple neuron.

• Add in circuit features like capacitors to produce true to biology behavior in the circuit as verified through simulations.