CMOS monolithic microelectrode array for stimulation and recording of natural neural networks

An array of platinum electrodes has been integrated with analog and digital circuitry in standard CMOS technology for stimulation and recording of natural neural networks. The array utilizes a shifted electrode design that has been electrically characterized and modeled. The electrode and its circuitry form a repeatable unit, which can be multiplied to achieve a larger array. Each circuitry unit contains a buffer for stimulation and a bandpass filter for readout. In contrast tn traditional electrode arrays used for measuring action potentials [I-61],this device is capable of on-chip signal filtering, improving the signal to noise ratio (SNR), on-chip analog to digital conversion (preventing further signal degradation), and simultaneous recording and stimulation.