Robust penetrating microelectrodes for neural interfaces realized by titanium micromachining

• DOI: 10.1007/s10544-011-9519-5
• Publication Date: 2011-03-01T17:30:21Z
• Authors: Patrick T. McCarthy; Kevin J. Otto; Masaru P. Rao
• Keywords: Brittleness

Neural prosthetic interfaces based upon penetrating microelectrode devices have broadened our understanding of the brain and shown promise for restoring neurological functions lost to disease, stroke, or injury. However, eventual viability such use in treatment dysfunction may be ultimately constrained by intrinsic brittleness silicon, material most commonly used manufacture microelectrodes. This creates predisposition catastrophic fracture, which adversely affect reliability safety devices, due potential fragmentation within brain. Herein, we report development titanium-based microelectrodes that seek address this future limitation. Titanium provides advantage relative silicon its superior fracture toughness, affords creation robust are resistant failure. Realization these is enabled recently developed techniques provide opportunity fabrication high-aspect-ratio micromechanical structures bulk titanium substrates. Details presented regarding design, fabrication, mechanical testing, vitro functional characterization, preliminary vivo testing intended acute recording rat auditory cortex thalamus, both independently simultaneously.