Search

The reliable integration of carbon nanotube (CNT) electrodes in future neural probes requires a proper embedding of the CNTs to prevent damage and toxic contamination during fabrication and also to preserve their mechanical integrity during implantation. Here we describe a novel bottom-up embedding approach where the CNT microelectrodes are encased in SiO(2) and Parylene C with lithographically defined electrode openings. Vertically aligned CNTs are grown on microelectrode arrays using low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition compatible with wafer-scale CMOS processing. Electrodes with 5, 10, and 25 μm diameter are realized. The CNT electrodes are characterized by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry and compared against cofabricated Pt and TiN electrodes. The superior performance of the CNTs in terms of impedance (≤4.8 ± 0.3 kΩ at 1 kHz) and charge-storage capacity (≥513.9 ± 61.6 mC/cm(2)) is attributed to an increased wettability caused by the removal of the SiO(2) embedding in buffered hydrofluoric acid. Infrared spectroscopy reveals an unaltered chemical fingerprint of the CNTs after fabrication. Impedance monitoring during biphasic current pulsing with increasing amplitudes provides clear evidence of the onset of gas evolution at CNT electrodes. Stimulation is accordingly considered safe for charge densities ≤40.7 mC/cm(2). In addition, prolonged stimulation with 5000 biphasic current pulses at 8.1, 40.7, and 81.5 mC/cm(2) increases the CNT electrode impedance at 1 kHz only by 5.5, 1.2, and 12.1%, respectively. Finally, insertion of CNT electrodes with and without embedding into rat brains demonstrates that embedded CNTs are mechanically more stable than non-embedded CNTs.

The signal-to-noise ratio of in vivo extracellular neural recordings with microelectrodes is influenced by many factors including the impedance of the electrode-tissue interface, the noise of the recording equipment and biological background noise from distant neurons. In this work we study the different noise sources affecting the quality of neural signals. We propose a simplified noise model as an analytical tool to predict the noise of an electrode given its geometrical dimensions and impedance characteristics. With this tool we are able to quantify different noise sources, which is important to determine realistic noise specifications for the design of electronic neural recording interfaces.

The investigation of single-neuron parameters is of great interest because many aspects in the behavior and communication of neuronal networks still remain unidentified. However, the present available techniques for single-cell measurements are slow and do not allow for a high-throughput approach. We present here a CMOS compatible microelectrode array with 84 electrodes (with diameters ranging from 1.2 to 4.2 μm) that are smaller than the size of cell, thereby supporting single-cell addressability. We show controllable electroporation of a single cell by an underlying electrode while monitoring changes in the intracellular membrane potential. Further, by applying a localized electrical field between two electrodes close to a neuron while recording changes in the intracellular calcium concentration, we demonstrate activation of a single cell (∼270%, DF/F(0)), followed by a network response of the neighboring cells. The technology can be easily scaled up to larger electrode arrays (theoretically up to 137,000 electrodes/mm(2)) with active CMOS electronics integration able to perform high-throughput measurements on single cells., (Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

In neurophysiological and pharmaceutical research, parallel and individual access to a dense population of in-vitro cultured neurons is a key feature for analyzing networks of neurons. This paper presents a 0.18µm CMOS chip containing a dense array of micro-nail electrodes, a 128×128 sensor/actuator matrix with in-situ differential amplification circuits, pico-Ampere current stimulation, and impedance measurement circuits. Measurements on packaged chips show successful impedance measurements matching the simulation model and electrical recordings of in-vitro cultured cardiomyocytes, correlated with recorded changes in intra-cellular calcium concentrations. This system is a first step towards a high-throughput neuron/chip interface.

The electrochemical behavior of neural implants with 50 microm-diameter platinum electrodes was tested during acute implantations in the motor cortex of anesthetized rats. Custom Ag|AgCl reference electrodes were prepared that could be co-implanted with the probes. The results obtained in vivo are compared with in vitro measurements performed in buffered saline solution (PBS) with and without the addition of bovine serum albumin (BSA). The presence of BSA clearly altered the performance of the electrodes which was studied by means of cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), voltage transient measurements (VT) and monitoring of the open circuit potential (OCP). We found that hydrogen gas evolved at 1.22 A/cm(2) in BSA-free PBS whereas in BSA-containing PBS it occurred already at 0.51 A/cm(2).

In this paper, we demonstrate the feasibility of selective extracellular electrical stimulation at the (sub)cellular level in dissociated cultured cells. Using a CMOS-compatible process, we have fabricated an electrode array with sub-micrometer nail probes. Due to their particular configuration, the nails are strongly engulfed by the cellular membrane. By measuring the calcium signals, we found that electrical stimulation via the micronails activates the cell locally, in a dose-dependent manner, with very low applied currents. The results suggest the applicability of the device in pharmacological or signal propagation studies.