title: An active, flexible carbon nanotube microelectrode array for recording electrocorticograms.
abstract: A variety of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) has been developed for monitoring intra-cortical neural activity at a high spatio-temporal resolution, opening a promising future for brain research and neural prostheses. However, most MEAs are based on metal electrodes on rigid substrates, and the intra-cortical implantation normally causes neural damage and immune responses that impede long-term recordings. This communication presents a flexible, carbon-nanotube MEA (CMEA) with integrated circuitry. The flexibility allows the electrodes to fit on the irregular surface of the brain to record electrocorticograms in a less invasive way. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) further improve both the electrode impedance and the charge-transfer capacity by more than six times. Moreover, the CNTs are grown on the polyimide substrate directly to improve the adhesion to the substrate. With the integrated recording circuitry, the flexible CMEA is proved capable of recording the neural activity of crayfish in vitro, as well as the electrocorticogram of a rat cortex in vivo, with an improved signal-to-noise ratio. Therefore, the proposed CMEA can be employed as a less-invasive, biocompatible and reliable neuro-electronic interface for long-term usage.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Electronics Engineering, National Tsing Hua University (NTHU), No 101, Sec. 2, Kuang-Fu Rd, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yung-Chan
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Hui-Lin
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Yu-Tao
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Huan-Chieh
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Shiang-Jie
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Yen
authors.forename: Chang-Hsiao
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Wei-Lun
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Tri-Rung
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Yew
authors.forename: Shih-Rung
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Yeh
authors.forename: Da-Jeng
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Yen-Chung
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Hsin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003400:Astacoidea; D004548:Elasticity; D004569:Electroencephalography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D006801:Humans; D046228:Microarray Analysis / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008839:Microelectrodes; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000295:instrumentation*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D051381:Rats
chemical_list: D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon