Carbon-nanotube-modified electrodes for highly efficient acute neural recording.
Microelectrodes are widely used for monitoring neural activities in various neurobiological studies. The size of the neural electrode is an important factor in determining the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of recorded neural signals and, thereby, the recording sensitivity. Here, it is demonstrated that commercial tungsten microelectrodes can be modified with carbon nanotubes (CNTs), resulting in a highly sensitive recording ability. The impedance with the respect to surface area of the CNT-modified electrodes (CNEs) is much less than that of tungsten microelectrodes because of their large electrochemical surface area (ESA). In addition, the noise level of neural signals recorded by CNEs is significantly less. Thus, the SNR is greater than that obtained using tungsten microelectrodes. Importantly, when applied in a mouse brain in vivo, the CNEs can detect action potentials five times more efficiently than tungsten microelectrodes. This technique provides a significant advance in the recording of neural signals, especially in brain regions with sparse neuronal densities.
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang 790-784, Republic of Korea.
Jung Hwal
JH
Shin
Guk Bae
GB
Kim
Eun Joo
EJ
Lee
Taechang
T
An
Kumjae
K
Shin
Seung Eun
SE
Lee
WooSeok
W
Choi
Sukchan
S
Lee
Charles
C
Latchoumane
Hee-Sup
HS
Shin
Geunbae
G
Lim
D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004566:Electrodes; D006801:Humans; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D014414:Tungsten / Q000737:chemistry
D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D014414:Tungsten
CNT-modified electrodes; acute neural recording; carbon nanotubes; sensitivity; tungsten microelectrodes