title: Electrical interfacing between neurons and electronics via vertically integrated sub-4 microm-diameter silicon probe arrays fabricated by vapor-liquid-solid growth.
abstract: We report here a technique for use in electrical interfaces between neurons and microelectronics, using vertically integrated silicon probe arrays with diameters of 2-3.5 microm and lengths of 60-120 microm. Silicon probe arrays can be fabricated by selective vapor-liquid-solid (VLS) growth. A doped n-type silicon probe with the resistance of 1 k Omega has an electrical impedance of less than 10 M Omega in physiological saline. After inserting the probe arrays into the retina of a carp (Cyrpinus carpio), we conducted electrical recording of neural signals, using the probes to measure light-evoked electrical neural signals. We determined that recorded signals represented local field potentials of the retina (electroretinogram (ERG)). The VLS-probe can provide minimally invasive neural recording/stimulation capabilities at high spatial resolution for fundamental studies of nervous systems. In addition, the probe arrays can be integrated with microelectronics; therefore, these probes make it possible to construct interfaces between neurons and microelectronics in advanced neuroscience applications.
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Toyohashi University of Technology, 1-1 Tempaku-cho, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan. kawano@eee.tut.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawano
authors.forename: Tetsuhiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Harimoto
authors.forename: Akito
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Kuniharu
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Takei
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kawashima
authors.forename: Shiro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Usui
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ishida
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D002347:Carps; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003460:Crystallization / Q000379:methods; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D008027:Light; D055537:Light Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D044367:Phase Transition; D012165:Retinal Ganglion Cells / Q000502:physiology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry*; D018511:Systems Integration
chemical_list: D012825:Silicon