GOALI: Heterogeneous 3D Integration of Electronic, Optical, and Structural Platform for Neural Microsystems

该计划的目标是定义一种分层集成体系结构，允许与神经元进行电气和光学接口所需的所有异质组件可以直接集成在具有低层轮廓的微机械探针基板上，以用于高密度的神经网络研究。实现的微系统旨在成为可扩展、可适应和可重新配置的混合集成的通用平台技术。智能优势体现在许多重要领域，包括形成与混合电子芯片的高密度互连，在微机械平台上对这些芯片进行密封封装，使用磁定向各向异性导电粘合剂进行高密度引线转移，将高度柔性的对二甲苯电缆单片集成到使用完全干法腐蚀工艺流程形成的探针中，以及开发与电缆和混合电路兼容的密封、低轮廓封装。更广泛的影响是实现工具，使我们对神经电路和系统的理解取得革命性进展。这项工作还将为实现改进的假体提供一个平台，这些假体旨在克服严重癫痫、帕金森氏症，甚至可能是瘫痪等疾病。尽管医疗保健方面的这些突破将是重要的，但这项工作的影响应该更广泛，特别是在将基于MEMS的传感器与嵌入式计算和无线连接相结合方面，作为微电子领域的下一个主要前沿，将其与非电子世界相结合。

The objective of this program is to define a hierarchical integration architecture that allows allthe heterogeneous components required for electrical and optical interface with neurons can bedirectly integrated on a micromachined probe substrate with a low-rise profile for high-densitystudies of neural networks in behaving animals. The implemented microsystem aims to be ageneric platform technology for scalable, adaptable and reconfigurable hybrid integration.The intellectual merit is in a number of important areas, including the formation of highdensityinterconnects to hybrid electronic chips, hermetic encapsulation of these chips onmicromachined platforms, the use of magnetically-aligned anisotropic conductive adhesives forhigh-density lead transfers, the monolithic integration of highly-flexible parylene cables intoprobes formed using completely dry-etched process flows, and the development of hermetic,low-profile packages that are compatible with both the cables and the hybrid circuitry.The broader impacts are in realizing tools to permit revolutionary progress in ourunderstanding of neural circuits and systems. The work will also provide a platform for realizingimproved prostheses designed to overcome disorders such as severe epilepsy, Parkinson?sdisease, and, perhaps, paralysis. Though important these breakthroughs in health care will be, theimpact of the work should be much broader, especially in combining MEMS-based sensors withembedded computing and wireless connectivity, as the next major frontier in microelectronics,coupling it to the non-electronic world.