Collaborative Research: Novel Electronic-Photonic Silicon Carbide Probes for Neural Recording and Stimulation

合作研究：用于神经记录和刺激的新型电子光子碳化硅探针

• 批准号: 2211969
• 负责人: Maysamreza Chamanzar
• 金额: $ 27.5万
• 依托单位: Carnegie-Mellon University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2022-08-15 至 2025-07-31
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2211969&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Novel; Electronic; Photonic

Dynamic functions of complex neural circuits in the brain mediate our behavior. Monitoring neural circuits over short periods of time and under constrained conditions will not provide a full picture of how neural circuits function under naturalistic behavior. Existing devices that are surgically implanted in the brain for long-term recording or stimulating neural circuits usually fall apart after a while and fail to interface with neurons for an extended period of time. In this project, the investigators seek to design a novel neural probe in the silicon carbide (SiC) material platform, which is a robust material, known to withstand harsh conditions. The goal is to design a penetrating neural probe that can last long in the corrosive environment of the brain and enable electrical recording as well as optical stimulation of neural activity in the brain. By combining electronics, photonics, and nanotechnology with biology and neuroscience, this project provides a unique training opportunity for students and researchers to learn how to work on a multidisciplinary project that bridges between different branches of science and engineering.This project will develop a novel penetrating neural probe technology entirely made in SiC, a robust and reliable material that is proven to remain viable in the brain over a long period of time. These neural probes will include electrical recording functionality and optical illumination functionality to enable simultaneous electrophysiology recording and optogenetic stimulation of neural activity. This novel neural interface will address outstanding needs in the field, including (i) longevity and chronic viability, (ii) high spatial and temporal resolution recording, and (iii) localized targeted light delivery. The design of this novel neural probe technology builds on a host of innovations including (i) microfabrication of high-density electrical recording electrodes in SiC, (ii) reconfigurable photonic switch banks for realization of high-density probes with great scalability; and (iii) metasurface optical output ports for shaping the beam of light in the tissue to provide a seamless all-SiC interface to the brain tissue that enables long-term stability for chronic neural interfacing. The outcome of this cross-field research will be a new technology platform that can be used to test various neuroscience hypotheses on the role of specific neural circuits in encoding and transforming information in brain through long-term high-throughput neural recording and stimulation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

大脑中复杂神经回路的动态功能调节我们的行为。在短时间内和约束条件下监测神经回路将无法提供神经回路在自然行为下如何发挥作用的全貌。通过手术植入大脑中用于长期记录或刺激神经回路的现有设备通常会在一段时间后崩溃，并且在很长一段时间内无法与神经元连接。在这个项目中，研究人员试图在碳化硅（SiC）材料平台上设计一种新型神经探针，碳化硅是一种坚固的材料，可以承受恶劣的条件。我们的目标是设计一种穿透性神经探针，可以在大脑的腐蚀性环境中持续很长时间，并能够对大脑中的神经活动进行电记录和光学刺激。通过将电子学、光子学和纳米技术与生物学和神经科学相结合，该项目为学生和研究人员提供了一个独特的培训机会，学习如何在科学和工程的不同分支之间建立桥梁的多学科项目。该项目将开发一种完全由SiC制成的新型穿透神经探针技术，这是一种坚固可靠的材料，已被证明可以在大脑中长时间存活。这些神经探针将包括电记录功能和光学照明功能，以实现神经活动的同时电生理记录和光遗传刺激。这种新型的神经接口将解决该领域的突出需求，包括（i）长寿和长期生存能力，（ii）高空间和时间分辨率记录，以及（iii）局部靶向光传递。这种新型神经探针技术的设计建立在一系列创新之上，包括（i）SiC中高密度电记录电极的微制造，（ii）用于实现具有极大可扩展性的高密度探针的可重构光子开关组;以及（iii）超表面光学输出端口，用于在组织中成形光束，以向脑组织提供无缝的全SiC界面，长期稳定的慢性神经接口。这项跨领域研究的成果将是一个新的技术平台，可用于测试各种神经科学假设，即特定神经回路在通过长期高强度刺激编码和转换大脑信息中的作用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。