Fig. 3: Working mechanisms of the photoelectrochemical synapse.

a Comparison of our photoelectrochemical synapse with solid-state and biological synapses. b Representative postsynaptic current (PSC) triggered by two sequential pulses. c Schematic of band bending and charge carrier behaviors in current mode during the light stimulation (i & ii) and the dark recovery phase (iii & iv), illustrating short-term hole accumulation and barrier height modulation. Arrows are used to indicate the direction of charge carrier transport, with solid arrows representing the dominant charge carrier transfer direction. d Schematic of the charge carrier dynamics upon light stimulation in closed (left) and open (right) circuit, involving the internal nanowire and electrolyte-mediated charge behaviors. e Typical postsynaptic voltage (PSV) induced by two successive pulses. f Schematic of band bending and charge carrier behaviors in voltage mode during the initial dark state (i), the light stimulation (ii), and the post-stimulation recovery in the dark (iii).