title: Batch-fabricated thin-film electrodes for stimulation of the central auditory system.
abstract: Silicon micromachining and thin-film technology have been employed to fabricate iridium stimulating arrays which can be used to excite discrete volumes of the central nervous system. Silicon multichannel probes with thicknesses ranging from 1 to 40 microns and arbitrary two-dimensional shapes can be fabricated using a high-yield, circuit-compatible process. Iridium stimulating sites are shown to have similar characteristics to iridium wire electrodes. Accelerated pulse testing with over 8 million 100 microA biphasic current pulses on 8000 microns 2 sites has demonstrated the long-term stability of iridium and activated iridium sites. In vivo tests have been performed in the central auditory pathways to demonstrate neural activation using the devices. These tests show a selective activation both as a function of site separation and site size.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Najafi
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Tanghe
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Levy
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Hetke
authors.forename: X L
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Xue
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Zappia
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Wise
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001306:Auditory Pathways / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D007495:Iridium; D008422:Materials Testing; D008839:Microelectrodes; D012825:Silicon
chemical_list: D007495:Iridium; D012825:Silicon