Carbon nanotube based devices for neuronal interfacing applications
Yael Hanein
School of Electrical Engineering, Tel-Aviv University
Electronic devices for retinal and brain implant are
currently being developed by several research teams. The
feasibility to create such devices rests in the ability to produce
proper interfacing between the chip and the biological system.
Extensive research, conducted over the last several years, demonstrated
that Nanotechnology can help making better bio-materials for effective
interfacing between nerve cells and electronic chips. Using carbon
nanotubes, we have been able to produce highly effective neuro
micro-electrodes suited for high efficacy recording and stimulation.
Using dissociated retinas we were able to show that carbon nanotube
electrodes can record neuronal activity with signal to noise ratio as
high as 75 and to achieve stimulation at 1 nC charge injection.
Through innovative nano and micro-fabrication methods, we have also
developed a flexible, Polydimethylsiloxane based system with carbon
nanotube micro-electrodes. This system exhibit excellent
electrochemistry and is ideally suited for neuro-prosthetic
applications. Recent efforts to realize photo-sensitive electrodes
based on carbon nanotubes and quantum rods will be also presented.