3D Capacitive Sensor Array for Detection of Neural Responses

Neural degenerative diseases and traumatic injuries affect millions of people worldwide, motivating the development of neural prosthetic interfaces to restore sensory or motor function in affected individuals. Advances in neural sensing and stimulation interface technology will allow a more comprehensive understanding of neural function while leading to the development of hybrid biological-electronic sensor devices for robust, functioning neural prosthetic systems. Current techniques of neural activity sensing and stimulation employ multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) that typically incorporate metal electrodes and measure or apply currents via an electrochemical junction, leading to corrosion and charge transfer across the electrode-tissue interface. High-density neural interface technology will require active circuitry within the implant; the device must withstand corrosion and induce minimal damage at the electrode/tissue interface. The work shown here demonstrates a prototype neural interface device based on capacitive coupling through hafnium oxide encapsulation of a novel 3D device architecture, advancing neural sensing technology toward long-term implantable neural interfaces. (C) 2013 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.