A Bilayer Nanomesh Based Electrophysiological Microelectrode

INV-18009

Mapping electrical activity is critical in neuroscience, cardiac physiology, and muscle contraction, among others. The stakes are perhaps the highest in brain mapping, where it is critical to measure fast currents from neurons, while simultaneously imaging the cell morphology. There are currently no tools that can provide both millisecond and single-cell resolutions at large scale. 

There is growing interest in developing transparent microelectrodes to overcome the limitations of individual electrical and optical modalities. By making the electrodes transparent, one can combine both optical and electrical measurements, enabling both high spatial and temporal resolutions.

 

Northeastern University researchers have demonstrated an innovative bilayer nanomesh approach for transparent and/or stretchable electrophysiological microelectrodes. This bilayer can consist of a metal (Au, Pt, W, Mo, Ti, stainless steel, or any other biocompatible metals) layer. To achieve a bilayer nanomesh structure, an electroplating method is conducted with the Au nanomesh layer serving as a template. Different low impedance materials such as IrOx, TiN, Ta2O5, PEDOT: PSS, and other conducting polymers can be easily electrodeposited on any conductive metal surface. The materials electroplated on the Au nanomesh surface, form another nanomesh layer. The bilayer nanomesh can also be achieved from nanomeshing preformed bilayers. Bilayer Nanomesh structures uniquely provide high transparency, great stretchability with excellent electrochemical performance. 

 

- Au/PEDOT: PSS bilayer microelectrodes provides a previously unmet combination of all needed features for transparent microelectrodes, including high transparency, low impedance, high charge injection limit 

- Metal nanomeshes allow transparent and/or stretchable interconnects in the same layout as conventional microelectronics, enabling high-density microelectrode arrays

 

- Transparent microelectrodes or arrays for brain mapping

- Stretchable microelectrodes or arrays for brain mapping

- Transparent microelectrodes or arrays for cardiac mapping

- Stretchable microelectrodes or arrays for cardiac mapping

- Transparent and/or stretchable microelectrode arrays for electrocorticography

- Chronic brain-machine interfaces

- Neural prostheses like artificial limbs, artificial retina etc.

 

- License

- Partnering

- Research collaboration