A CMOS-based sensor array for in-vitro neural tissue interfacing with 4225 recording sites and 1024 stimulation sites

Gabriel Bertotti, Dmytro Velychko, Norman Dodel, Stefan Keil, Dirk Wolansky, Bernd Tillack, Matthias Schreiter, Andreas Grall, Peter Jesinger, Sebastian Rohler, Max Eickenscheidt, Alfred Stett, Andreas Moller, Karl-Heinz Boven, Günther Zeck, Roland Thewes

Abstract: A CMOS-based microelectrode array (MEA) with 4225 recording sites and 1024 stimulation sites and a related data acquisition system are presented. The chip provides high spatiotemporal resolution on an active area of 1 mm × 1 mm or 2 mm × 2 mm, respectively, and allows in-vitro neural tissue interfacing experiments with full imaging capability. The entire chip surface is covered by a thin high-k dielectric layer so that electric coupling between biological tissue and solid-state chip is purely capacitive. Biological experiments reveal proper functionality of the system.