Parylene flexible neural probes integrated with microfluidic channels

Abstract

The fluidic channel in the flexible probe has three functions: (i) to inject chemicals into the tissues, (ii) to measure the neural activities from the tissues, and (iii) to improve the mechanical stiffness of the probe by filling the channel with a solid material. A 10-microm-thick microfluidic channel was embedded into the probe by using sacrificial photoresist patterns. Polyethylene glycol (PEG), which is solid at room temperature and dissolves when in contact with water, was used to fill the channel and increase the stiffness of the probe before insertion into the tissue. The impedance of the electrode inside the fluidic channel was around 100 kOmega at 1 kHz when the channel was filled with saline solution. We were able to insert the probe into a rat's brain and measure the neural signals with the electrode.