Multiunit Recording and Processing System and Its Application

研制了一种新型的多单元记录电极和从多个电极记录的系统。电极被设计成包含4到32个通道的记录系统，内置在复合电极携带探头中。探头由中心Elgiloy合金金属针和覆盖金属的低熔点青草材料制成。Elgiloy被蚀刻成一个很薄的尖端。金属竖井上覆盖着一层薄薄的草，上面画着电极图案和连接的细导线。采用了一种特殊版本的微图案化技术。关键是要在金属针上形成精细的微图案。为了绘制精确的三维微图形，制造了一个自动图案化系统。这是通过一个微型计算机程序实现的。利用真空蒸发法在草皮表面沉积了超薄的金铬膜。利用图案化系统和自动紫外光曝光系统应用了三维光刻。电极引线被馈送到多路复用器集成电路，然后连接到前置放大器。在大鼠和猴子身上进行了记录实验，以测试记录系统的有效性。考察了多个单元活动之间的相互关系以及它们与电机输出的关系。

A new type of multiple-unit recording electrodes and a system to record from the multiple electrodes are developed. the electrodes were designed to incorporate 4 to 32 channel recording system built in a compound electrode-carrying probe. The probe was made of the center Elgiloy-alloy metal needle and low melting point grass material covering the metal. The Elgiloy was etched to form a thin tip. The metal shaft was covered with a thin layer of grass, on which electrode pattern and connecting fine leads were drawn. A special version of the micropatterning technique was employed. The key point was to form a fine micro pattern on the metal needle. An automated patterning system was made to draw a precise, three dimensional micropattern. This was realized by a microcomputer program. Ultrathin layers of Au-Cr was placed on the surface of the grass, utilizing the vacuum-vaporization method. The three dimensional lithography was applied with usage of the patterning system and an automated, ultraviolet beam-exposion system. The electrode leads were fed to multiplexer integrated circuit and then were connected to preamplifiers. Recording experiments were carried out in rats and monkeys to test the validity of the recording system. Interrelations of multiple unit activities and their relation to the motor output were examined.