A Novel Polyimide – Platinum – SU-8 Microelectrode Array for Various Electrophysiological Applications

Precise and reproducible construction of microelectrode arrays (MEAs) is possible due to the advanced technology of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Polymer-based MEMS devices are gaining increasing attention in the field of experimental electrophysiology, since their mechanical flexibility allows smooth coupling with the soft neural tissue. In this paper we present a novel MEA with a layer structure of polyimide – platinum – SU-8. A single row of electrodes with arrow-like shapes were formed, designed to make possible a slight penetration of the sites into the tissue. Functional tests were performed on rat brain slices (in vitro) and on intact rat neocortex (in vivo).