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High aspect ratio gold nanopillars on microelectrodes for neural interfaces

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Abstract

Microelectrode arrays (MEA) have become an established tool in applied and fundamental research. Low impedance at the interface between tissue and conducting electrodes is of utmost importance for the electrical recording or stimulation of electrophysiological active cells such as cardiac myocytes and neurons. A common way to improve this interface is to increase the electrochemically active surface area of the electrode. In this paper the fabrication of microelectrodes covered with very high aspect ratio (AR > 100) gold nanopillars is presented and electrode biocompatibility is investigated using cell culture experiments. The nanopillar electrodes show decreased impedance over the entire scanned frequency range of 1 Hz–100 kHz and an impedance improvement of up to 89.5 at 1 kHz depending on nanopillar height. Neurons adhere well to the substrate and electrodes and signals with amplitudes up to ten times higher than with conventional gold electrodes were recorded in cell culture experiments.

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Acknowledgments

One of the authors (CN) would like to thank Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes for supporting this research. We also want to thank Prof. Hellmann of the University of Applied Sciences Aschaffenburg for providing access to the RIE-chamber.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. BioMEMS Laboratory, Hochschule Aschaffenburg, Aschaffenburg, Germany

    C. Nick & C. Thielemann

  2. Microtechnology and Electromechanical Systems Laboratory (M+EMS), Institute of Electromechanical Design, Technische Universitaet Darmstadt, Darmstadt, Germany

    C. Nick, S. Quednau, R. Sarwar & H. F. Schlaak

Authors
  1. C. Nick
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  2. S. Quednau
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  3. R. Sarwar
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  4. H. F. Schlaak
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  5. C. Thielemann
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Correspondence to C. Nick.

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Nick, C., Quednau, S., Sarwar, R. et al. High aspect ratio gold nanopillars on microelectrodes for neural interfaces. Microsyst Technol 20, 1849–1857 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-013-1958-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00542-013-1958-x

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