Conducting polymer hydrogel sensors & actuators integrated on high-density MEA chips for improved cell interfacing

The electrode-cell/ tissue interfaces enable spatiotemporal recording of various cellular signals, such as cell impedances, neurophysiological recordings, as well as electrical stimulation. Enhancing spatiotemporal resolution requires drastically reducing the electrode sizes toward subcellular dimensions (< 5 µm). Such extreme miniaturization of electrodes, however, unfavorably increases the electrode−electrolyte interfacial impedance. Conducting polymer-coated electrodes have been considered as an alternative to conventional metal or metal-oxide electrodes to decrease the electrode-electrolyte interfacial impedance. In addition, when copolymerized with hydrogel, the mechanical mismatch between the electrode and the cells decreases, enhancing the device’s biocompatibility.

In this PhD, you will explore different methods of (co)polymerization of conducting polymers and hydrogel on CMOS-integrated imec multielectrode array (MEA) chips. You will also investigate different post treatment processes to modulate the mechanical and electrochemical properties of the conducting-polymer hydrogel electrodes. Further, you will study the electrode behavior in in vitro environments such as neuronal cell cultures.