Analysis of memristors with nonlinear memristance versus state maps

According to the axiomatic definition of the memristor from 1971, its properties are unambiguously determined by the memristance versus charge (or flux) map. The original model of the 'HP memristor' introduces this map via a linear function that represents this memristor as a variable resistor whose resistance is linearly dependent on the amount of charge flowing through. However, some analog applications require nonlinear, frequently exponential or logarithmic dependence of the resistance on an external controlling variable. The memristor with nonlinear memristance versus charge map is analyzed in the paper. The results are specified for the exponential type of this nonlinearity, which may be useful for future applications. Analytic formulae of the area of the pinched hysteresis loop of such a memristor are derived for harmonic excitation. It is also shown that the current flowing through such a memristor, which is driven by a voltage of arbitrary waveform, conforms to the Abel differential equation, and its closed-form solution is found.