Benchtop Carbon Fiber Microelectrode Array Fabrication Toolkit

BackgroundConventional neural probes are primarily fabricated in a cleanroom, requiring the use of multiple expensive and highly specialized tools.New methodWe propose a cleanroom “light” fabrication process of carbon fiber neural electrode arrays that can be learned quickly by an inexperienced cleanroom user. This carbon fiber electrode array fabrication process requires just one cleanroom tool, a parylene-c deposition machine, that can be learned quickly or outsourced to a commercial processing facility at marginal cost. Our fabrication process also includes hand-populating printed circuit boards, insulation, and tip optimization.ResultsThe three different tip optimizations explored here (Nd:YAG laser, blowtorch, and UV laser) result in a range of tip geometries and 1kHz impedances, with blowtorched fibers resulting in the lowest impedance. While previous experiments have proven laser and blowtorch electrode efficacy, this paper also shows UV laser cut fibers can record neural signals in vivo.Comparison with existing methodsExisting carbon fiber arrays either do not have individuated electrodes in favor of bundles or require cleanroom fabricated guides for population and insulation. The proposed arrays use only tools that can be used at a benchtop for fiber population.ConclusionsThis carbon fiber electrode array fabrication process allows for quick customization of bulk array fabrication at a reduced price compared to commercially available probes.