Flexible and Transparent Metal Oxide/Metal Grid Hybrid Interfaces for Electrophysiology and Optogenetics

Overview

Journal Adv Mater Technol

Date 2024 Feb 26

PMID 38404692

Authors

Zhiyuan Chen

Rose T Yin

Sofian N Obaid

Jinbi Tian

Sheena W Chen

Alana N Miniovich

Nicolas Boyajian

Igor R Efimov

Luyao Lu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Flexible and transparent microelectrodes and interconnects provide the unique capability for a wide range of emerging biological applications, including simultaneous optical and electrical interrogation of biological systems. For practical biointerfacing, it is important to further improve the optical, electrical, electrochemical, and mechanical properties of the transparent conductive materials. Here, high-performance microelectrodes and interconnects with high optical transmittance (59-81%), superior electrochemical impedance (5.4-18.4 Ω cm), and excellent sheet resistance (5.6-14.1 Ω sq), using indium tin oxide (ITO) and metal grid (MG) hybrid structures are demonstrated. Notably, the hybrid structures retain the superior mechanical properties of flexible MG other than brittle ITO with no changes in sheet resistance even after 5000 bending cycles against a small radius at 5 mm. The capabilities of the ITO/MG microelectrodes and interconnects are highlighted by high-fidelity electrical recordings of transgenic mouse hearts during co-localized programmed optogenetic stimulation. histological analysis reveals that the ITO/MG structures are fully biocompatible. Those results demonstrate the great potential of ITO/MG interfaces for broad fundamental and translational physiological studies.

Citing Articles

Transparent, flexible graphene-ITO-based neural microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology recording and calcium imaging of intracortical neural activity in freely moving mice.

Yuan M, Li F, Xue F, Wang Y, Li B, Tang R Microsyst Nanoeng. 2025; 11(1):32.

PMID: 39994180 PMC: 11850855. DOI: 10.1038/s41378-025-00873-y.

A soft multimodal optoelectronic array interface for multiparametric mapping of heart function in vivo.

Quirion N, Madrid M, Chang J, Fehr A, Rytkin E, Shields N Sci Adv. 2025; 11(6):eads8608.

PMID: 39919178 PMC: 11804930. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.ads8608.

Transparent and Stretchable Au─Ag Nanowire Recording Microelectrode Arrays.

Chen Z, Nguyen K, Kowalik G, Shi X, Tian J, Doshi M Adv Mater Technol. 2024; 8(10).

PMID: 38644939 PMC: 11031257. DOI: 10.1002/admt.202201716.

Flexible and Transparent Metal Oxide/Metal Grid Hybrid Interfaces for Electrophysiology and Optogenetics.

Chen Z, Yin R, Obaid S, Tian J, Chen S, Miniovich A Adv Mater Technol. 2024; 5(8).

PMID: 38404692 PMC: 10888205. DOI: 10.1002/admt.202000322.

Metallic Micro-Nano Network-Based Soft Transparent Electrodes: Materials, Processes, and Applications.

Chen L, Khan A, Dai S, Bermak A, Li W Adv Sci (Weinh). 2023; 10(35):e2302858.

PMID: 37890452 PMC: 10724424. DOI: 10.1002/advs.202302858.

References

Zhang Y, Ali S, Dervishi E, Xu Y, Li Z, Casciano D . Cytotoxicity effects of graphene and single-wall carbon nanotubes in neural phaeochromocytoma-derived PC12 cells. ACS Nano. 2010; 4(6):3181-6. DOI: 10.1021/nn1007176. View

Sakamoto K, Kuwae H, Kobayashi N, Nobori A, Shoji S, Mizuno J . Highly flexible transparent electrodes based on mesh-patterned rigid indium tin oxide. Sci Rep. 2018; 8(1):2825. PMC: 5809474. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-20978-x. View

Jones J, LEPESCHKIN E, Jones R, Rush S . Response of cultured myocardial cells to countershock-type electric field stimulation. Am J Physiol. 1978; 235(2):H214-22. DOI: 10.1152/ajpheart.1978.235.2.H214. View

Kim S, Yoo J, Park J . Using Electrospun AgNW/P(VDF-TrFE) Composite Nanofibers to Create Transparent and Wearable Single-Electrode Triboelectric Nanogenerators for Self-Powered Touch Panels. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2019; 11(16):15088-15096. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.9b03338. View

Khodagholy D, Gelinas J, Thesen T, Doyle W, Devinsky O, Malliaras G . NeuroGrid: recording action potentials from the surface of the brain. Nat Neurosci. 2014; 18(2):310-5. PMC: 4308485. DOI: 10.1038/nn.3905. View

Thunemann M, Lu Y, Liu X, Kilic K, Desjardins M, Vandenberghe M . Deep 2-photon imaging and artifact-free optogenetics through transparent graphene microelectrode arrays. Nat Commun. 2018; 9(1):2035. PMC: 5964174. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-04457-5. View

Zrenner E . Fighting blindness with microelectronics. Sci Transl Med. 2013; 5(210):210ps16. DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.3007399. View

Liu X, Lu Y, Iseri E, Shi Y, Kuzum D . A Compact Closed-Loop Optogenetics System Based on Artifact-Free Transparent Graphene Electrodes. Front Neurosci. 2018; 12:132. PMC: 5845553. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00132. View

Gutruf P, Yin R, Lee K, Ausra J, Brennan J, Qiao Y . Wireless, battery-free, fully implantable multimodal and multisite pacemakers for applications in small animal models. Nat Commun. 2019; 10(1):5742. PMC: 6917818. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13637-w. View

10.

Kunori N, Takashima I . A transparent epidural electrode array for use in conjunction with optical imaging. J Neurosci Methods. 2015; 251:130-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2015.05.018. View

11.

Yang J, Liu P, Wei X, Luo W, Yang J, Jiang H . Surface Engineering of Graphene Composite Transparent Electrodes for High-Performance Flexible Triboelectric Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors. ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2017; 9(41):36017-36025. DOI: 10.1021/acsami.7b10373. View

12.

Park D, Schendel A, Mikael S, Brodnick S, Richner T, Ness J . Graphene-based carbon-layered electrode array technology for neural imaging and optogenetic applications. Nat Commun. 2014; 5:5258. PMC: 4218963. DOI: 10.1038/ncomms6258. View

13.

Normann R, Fernandez E . Clinical applications of penetrating neural interfaces and Utah Electrode Array technologies. J Neural Eng. 2016; 13(6):061003. DOI: 10.1088/1741-2560/13/6/061003. View

14.

Williamson A, Rivnay J, Kergoat L, Jonsson A, Inal S, Uguz I . Controlling epileptiform activity with organic electronic ion pumps. Adv Mater. 2015; 27(20):3138-44. DOI: 10.1002/adma.201500482. View

15.

Buzsaki G . Large-scale recording of neuronal ensembles. Nat Neurosci. 2004; 7(5):446-51. DOI: 10.1038/nn1233. View

16.

Qiang Y, Artoni P, Seo K, Culaclii S, Hogan V, Zhao X . Transparent arrays of bilayer-nanomesh microelectrodes for simultaneous electrophysiology and two-photon imaging in the brain. Sci Adv. 2018; 4(9):eaat0626. PMC: 6124910. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.aat0626. View

17.

Chen Z, Yin R, Obaid S, Tian J, Chen S, Miniovich A . Flexible and Transparent Metal Oxide/Metal Grid Hybrid Interfaces for Electrophysiology and Optogenetics. Adv Mater Technol. 2024; 5(8). PMC: 10888205. DOI: 10.1002/admt.202000322. View

18.

Hansen S, Lennquist A . Carbon nanotubes added to the SIN List as a nanomaterial of Very High Concern. Nat Nanotechnol. 2020; 15(1):3-4. DOI: 10.1038/s41565-019-0613-9. View

19.

Heuschkel M, Fejtl M, Raggenbass M, Bertrand D, Renaud P . A three-dimensional multi-electrode array for multi-site stimulation and recording in acute brain slices. J Neurosci Methods. 2002; 114(2):135-48. DOI: 10.1016/s0165-0270(01)00514-3. View

20.

Berdondini L, van der Wal P, Guenat O, de Rooij N, Koudelka-Hep M, Seitz P . High-density electrode array for imaging in vitro electrophysiological activity. Biosens Bioelectron. 2005; 21(1):167-74. DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2004.08.011. View