title: Josephson junction simulation of neurons.
abstract: With the goal of understanding the intricate behavior and dynamics of collections of neurons, we present superconducting circuits containing Josephson junctions that model biologically realistic neurons. These "Josephson junction neurons" reproduce many characteristic behaviors of biological neurons such as action potentials, refractory periods, and firing thresholds. They can be coupled together in ways that mimic electrical and chemical synapses. Using existing fabrication technologies, large interconnected networks of Josephson junction neurons would operate fully in parallel. They would be orders of magnitude faster than both traditional computer simulations and biological neural networks. Josephson junction neurons provide a new tool for exploring long-term large-scale dynamics for networks of neurons.
authors.affiliation: Physics & Astronomy Department, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York 13346, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Crotty
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Schult
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Segall
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*