title: Semiconductor nanorod-carbon nanotube biomimetic films for wire-free photostimulation of blind retinas.
abstract: We report the development of a semiconductor nanorod-carbon nanotube based platform for wire-free, light induced retina stimulation. A plasma polymerized acrylic acid midlayer was used to achieve covalent conjugation of semiconductor nanorods directly onto neuro-adhesive, three-dimensional carbon nanotube surfaces. Photocurrent, photovoltage, and fluorescence lifetime measurements validate efficient charge transfer between the nanorods and the carbon nanotube films. Successful stimulation of a light-insensitive chick retina suggests the potential use of this novel platform in future artificial retina applications.
authors.affiliation: School of Electrical Engineering, ‡Tel Aviv University Center for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, and ⊥School of Chemistry, Tel Aviv University , Tel Aviv 69978, Israel.
authors.forename: Lilach
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bareket
authors.forename: Nir
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Waiskopf
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rand
authors.forename: Gur
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lubin
authors.forename: Moshe
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: David-Pur
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ben-Dov
authors.forename: Soumyendu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Roy
authors.forename: Cyril
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eleftheriou
authors.forename: Evelyne
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sernagor
authors.forename: Ori
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cheshnovsky
authors.forename: Uri
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Banin
authors.forename: Yael
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hanein
mesh_terms: D000179:Acrylates / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D040761:Biomimetic Materials / Q000737:chemistry*; D032701:Biomimetics; D002642:Chick Embryo; D008027:Light; D043942:Nanotubes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D058117:Neural Prostheses; D058105:Polymerization; D012160:Retina / Q000502:physiology*; D012666:Semiconductors
chemical_list: D000179:Acrylates; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; C036658:acrylic acid
keywords: Neural photostimulation; carbon nanotubes; neural prosthesis; plasma polymerization; quantum rods; retinal implant