Direct Electrical Neurostimulation with Organic Pigment Photocapacitors

David Rand, Marie Jakešová, Gur Lubin, Ieva Vėbraitė, Moshe David-Pur, Vedran Đerek, Tobias Cramer, Niyazi Serdar Sariciftci, Yael Hanein*, Eric Daniel Głowacki

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

113 Scopus citations

Abstract

An efficient nanoscale semiconducting optoelectronic system is reported, which is optimized for neuronal stimulation: the organic electrolytic photocapacitor. The devices comprise a thin (80 nm) trilayer of metal and p–n semiconducting organic nanocrystals. When illuminated in physiological solution, these metal–semiconductor devices charge up, transducing light pulses into localized displacement currents that are strong enough to electrically stimulate neurons with safe light intensities. The devices are freestanding, requiring no wiring or external bias, and are stable in physiological conditions. The semiconductor layers are made using ubiquitous and nontoxic commercial pigments via simple and scalable deposition techniques. It is described how, in physiological media, photovoltage and charging behavior depend on device geometry. To test cell viability and capability of neural stimulation, photostimulation of primary neurons cultured for three weeks on photocapacitor films is shown. Finally, the efficacy of the device is demonstrated by achieving direct optoelectronic stimulation of light-insensitive retinas, proving the potential of this device platform for retinal implant technologies and for stimulation of electrogenic tissues in general. These results substantiate the conclusion that these devices are the first non-Si optoelectronic platform capable of sufficiently large photovoltages and displacement currents to enable true capacitive stimulation of excitable cells.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1707292
JournalAdvanced Materials
Volume30
Issue number25
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Jun 2018

Funding

FundersFunder number
Wittgenstein Prize Solare Energie UmwandlungZ222-N19
Wallenberg Centre for Molecular Medicine at Linköping University
Seventh Framework Programme
Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse
Austrian Science Fund
European Research Council
European Commission306707

    Keywords

    • artificial retina
    • bioelectronics
    • neurostimulation
    • organic semiconductors

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