Francesco Caravelli

I am interested in non-equilibrium statistical mechanics and in particular in neuromorphic circuits. I have recently focused on the properties of memristors and their collective behavior. Memristors are 2-port passive devices, which have characteristics similar to a resistance, but exhibit a very nonlinear dynamical behavior. Neuromorphic circuits are, in general, interesting for many reasons. These provide in fact a valid alternative to the von Neumann architecture at the classical level (analog computation), in particular in view of the need of building circuits which can serve as brain-computer interface. My interests are in particular in the relaxation properties of the circuits under various conditions (AC or DC controlled), exact solutions and the use of statistical mechanics to understand their asymptotic behavior. In collaboration with Massimiliano Di Ventra and Fabio L. Traversa we derived an exact equation for the internal memory dynamics of purely memristive circuits, which I use to derive formal results and connection to both ordered and disordered Statistical Physics. With Cristiano Nisoli, I will explore the kinetical behavior of artificial spin ice, its memory and exotic behavior. I began my research career studying Quantum Gravity as a PhD student at UWaterloo/Perimeter Institute, but moved to Complex Systems after having completed my thesis in “Quantum Pre-Geometry models for Quantum Gravity”. I then got interested in the properties of dynamical graphs and in statistical mechanics. I have nonetheless a broad range of interests: from percolation phenomena to econophysics and power grids, although always interested in the dynamical aspects.