Objective
Microelectrodes with high specific charge transfer capability are an important prerequisite for high resolution stimulation, and recording of neuronal and muscular tissue. In order to enhance spatial resolution of a particular neuronal stimulation or sensing device one has to reduce the geometrical area of microelectrodes. On the other hand, the absolute charge required for neuronal stimulation remains unchanged, thus posing the challenge to fabricate electrodes with extremely high effective surface area and consequently a high specific capacitance. This can be achieved by using thin film titanium nitride (TiN) microelectrodes with suitable microscopic morphology on microelectrode surface area.
The purpose of this project is to achieve an excellent charge transfer capability using the fundamental investigations of the correlation between titanium nitride (TiN) synthesis, microelectrode surface properties and charge transfer capability. Five key components are integrated into coherent framework for generating innovation and managing complexity; modeling of the TiN thin film fabrication by reactive sputtering; TiN films fabrication by reactive sputtering; modeling of charge transfer capability of the thin film microelectrodes; scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of the electrode surface; and fabrication of nanostructures at microelectrode surface by local surface modification in STM. Specific conceptual tool is presented for clear understanding of the problem scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), for identification of correlation nature between TiN synthesis, microelectrode surface properties and charge transfer capability. STM allow not only to study film surface morphology from tens of microns scale down to nanometer scale, but thanks to its inherent principle of operation, can be exploited as a surface modification tool. The ability to manipulate and modify the surface of the films is essential to exploit their properties with the aim to design microelectrodes. The following results are expected in the present project: fabrication of thin film TiN micro-electrodes with excellent charge transfer capability for biomedical applications, modeling and optimization of TiN thin film fabrication by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen/argon atmosphere, design of the technology of TiN thin films fabrication by reactive sputtering in a nitrogen/argon atmosphere for biomedical microelectrodes, modelling of charge transfer capability of the thin film microelectrodes, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) images of electrode surface design of the technology for nanostructures modification in STM for biomedical microelectrodes.
Topic(s)
Data not availableCall for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
Data not availableCoordinator
42023 Saint-Etienne
France