Neuromorphic computing is a key direction for overcoming the bottleneck of the von Neumann architecture, with one of its core challenges being the implementation of efficient neuronal circuits. Memristors, with their characteristics such as local activity, have become ideal components for constructing neuronal circuits. This report presents recent advances in memristive neuronal circuit research, focusing primarily on memristive device modeling, neuronal circuit design, and the analysis of dynamics in coupled networks. For first- and second-order locally active memristive devices, simplified mathematical models have been established, and multiple neuronal circuits have been designed. Based on nonlinear dynamics theory, the mechanisms by which memristive devices generate various neuromorphic behaviors are revealed. Furthermore, classical mathematical phenomena such as Smale's paradox and Turing instability have been reproduced through coupled networks. 

Biography:

Yan Liang served as a regular member of IEEE Nonlinear Circuits and Systems Technical Committee (NCAS TC)). She received the B.Eng. and Ph.D. degrees from the School of Information and Electrical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, China, in 2011 and 2017, respectively. She is currently an associate professor with the School of Electronic and Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University. Her current research interests include memristive systems, nonlinear dynamics, and artificial neural network. She has published over 50 papers in these areas. She received the 2023 IEEE Transactions on Circuits and Systems Guillemin-Cauer Best Paper Award, and The Armen H. Zemanian Best Paper Award for the year 2021. She has been serving as a Senior Editor for IEEE Journal on Emerging and Selected Topics in Circuits and Systems (JETCAS) since 2026. 

Locally active memristors (LAMs) reported to date predominantly exhibit negative differential resistance (NDR) characteristics. However, according to the theory of local activity, NDR represents only a sufficient condition for the existence of a locally active domain (LAD), rather than a necessary one. This talk will systematically discuss locally active behaviors in different classes of memristors. Mathematical models of a first-order extended memristor and a second-order generic memristor are developed, demonstrating that local activity can also emerge in regions with positive differential resistance (PDR). Based on the first-order model, a single-topology memristive oscillator is designed, while dual-topology oscillators are developed by exploiting the dual reactance properties of the second-order memristor. Using the local activity theorem and small-signal analysis, the subordination relationship between NDR and LAD for various memristor types is rigorously clarified. Furthermore, the effects of PDR- and NDR-based local activity on oscillator topology design, parameter conditions, and oscillation frequency ranges are analyzed. Finally, a representative PDR-based second-order LAM emulator is implemented, with hardware experiments validating the theoretical and simulation results. This work will provide a theoretical basis for developing novel nanoscale locally active devices. 

Biography:

Yujiao Dong is an associate professor at the School of Electronic Information, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China. She received her Ph.D. degree from Hangzhou Dianzi University in 2022, which included a one-year research visit at the University of Hong Kong. Her research focuses on locally active memristors, nonlinear circuits, memristive neurons, and neural networks. Dr. Dong currently leads research projects funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation. Her contributions to the field have been recognized through her nomination for the Zhejiang Provincial Young Talent Support Program (2026-2028). She actively serves the academic community as a member of IEEE NCAS technical committees and has published corresponding/first-author papers in leading journals such as IEEE TCAS-I, TCAS-II, CNSNS, CSF. Recently, she is collaborating with Professor L. O. Chua (UC Berkeley) to advance the theory of second-order memristors.