Extracellular neural stimulation and recording with a Thin-Film-Transistor (TFT) array device

Success has been achieved for the first time in stimulating and recording primary cortical neurons using a Thin-Film-Transistor (TFT) array substrate. The originality resides in the TFT technology used to fabricate the substrates. Unlike Multi-Electrode-Arrays (MEAs) substrates, usually used for neurons activity recording, TFT array substrates allow the recording of large-scale neurons culture, by means of thousands of high density microelectrodes. In-situ voltage and external current pulses were used for stimulation and neurons response spikes in both case could be measured. The related circuit and system description as well as process aspects are discussed, which prove full functionality and supercilious of the developed system.