26699649

PMC4692190

Objective

Neural recording electrodes are important tools for understanding neural codes and brain dynamics. Neural electrodes that are close-packed, such as in tetrodes, enable spatial oversampling of neural activity, which facilitates data analysis. Here we present the design and implementation of close-packed silicon microelectrodes, to enable spatially oversampled recording of neural activity in a scalable fashion.

Methods

Our probes are fabricated in a hybrid lithography process, resulting in a dense array of recording sites connected to submicron dimension wiring.

Results

We demonstrate an implementation of a probe comprising 1000 electrode pads, each 9 × 9 μm, at a pitch of 11 μm. We introduce design automation and packaging methods that allow us to readily create a large variety of different designs.

Significance

Finally, we perform neural recordings with such probes in the live mammalian brain that illustrate the spatial oversampling potential of closely packed electrode sites.

CDC Public Access

R44 NS070453/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States
R01 NS067199/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States
R01 DA029639/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States
DP1NS087724/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHS/United States
R01DA029639/DA/NIDA NIH HHS/United States
DP1 NS087724/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States
R01NS067199/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States
2R44NS070453-03A1/NS/NINDS NIH HHS/United States