All Optical Integrate and Fire Neuromorphic Node Based on Single Section Quantum Dot Laser

Abstract

In this work we provide numerical results concerning an all-optical inhibitory integrate and fire neuron based on a single section quantum-dot InAs/GaAs laser. The numerical model employs a detailed multi-population approach that accommodates electron-hole dynamics and can efficiently describe waveband transitions from both the ground and excited energy state. The underlying physical mechanism of waveband switching in an inhibitory neuron is unveiled and is attributed to hole-electron's transport time asymmetries. A detailed dynamical analysis allowed the identification of suitable optical injection regimes so as to trigger highly sought neuro-computational behaviors such as rate encoding and neural spikes with picosecond temporal resolution.