Regensburg 2004 – scientific programme

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AKB: Biologische Physik

AKB 50: Poster Session "Biological Physics"

AKB 50.85: Poster

Friday, March 12, 2004, 10:30–13:00, B

Silicon chip with cultured rat hippocampus slice interfaced with arrays of capacitors and transistors — •Michael Hutzler and Peter Fromherz — Max Planck Institute of Biochemistry, Martinsried, Germany

In the past, field potentials of cultured hippocampal slices evoked by tungsten electrode stimulation could be recorded by electrolyte-oxide-silicon field effect transistors. We developed a new silicon chip with a TiO2-coated surface, containing capacitor arrays for eliciting as well as transistor arrays for detecting neuronal activity. After cultivating the brain slices on the silicon chips for one week, we were able to capacitively stimulate the slices in CA3 by application of defined voltage pulses. The resulting field potential in CA1 could be recorded with the transistors. By combining a row of capacitors with a row of transistors we also determined a simple transfer matrix from CA3 to CA1. This novel type of purely capacitive interfacing allows a mechanically noninvasive and electrically minimally interfering contact compared to traditional electrophysiological methods.