A MULTIELECTRODE ARRAY FOR SINGLE-UNIT RECORDING IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS BEEN UNDER DEVELOPMENT.

A MULTIELECTRODE ARRAY FOR SINGLE-UNIT RECORDING IN THE CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM HAS BEEN UNDER DEVELOPMENT. PRELIM- INARY RESULTS OF THE DEVICE INDICATE THAT IT COULD PROVIDE AREMARKABLE ADVANCE FOR NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL INVESTIGATIONS IN SUCH AREAS AS COMMUNICATIVE PROCESSES AND FUTURE APPLICA- TIONS IN NEURAL PROSTHESES. PROVIDING THIS DEVICE TO NEUROPHYSIOLOGISTS ON A WIDESPREAD BASIS WOULD BE NECESSARY IF THE FULL POTENTIAL OF THE DEVICE WERE TO BE REALIZED. THE ARRAY FABRICATION USES A NOVEL COMBINATION OF MICRO- ELECTRONICS AND SILICON MICROMACHINING UTILIZING A CUSTOM PROCESS. PHASE I OBJECTIVES ARE TO DEVELOP A PROCESS SCHEDULE COMPATIBLE WITH INDUSTRIAL SEMICONDUCTOR PROCESS HOUSES AND IDENTIFY THE ASSEMBLY PROCEDURES AND DEVICE TEST-ING NEEDED TO PRODUCE A USER-READY DEVICE. THE ULTIMATE GOAL IS TO MAKE THE MULTIELECTRODE ARRAY COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE AFTER DETERMINING FEASIBILITY OF COST-EFFECTIVE PRODUCTION. ADDITIONALLY, THE PROPOSED RESEARCH WILL CONTRIBUTE TO OTHER RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS FOR A VAREITY OF BIOLOGICAL SENSORS INCORPORATING ON-CHIP CIRCUIT-RY AND SENSING ELEMENTS. PHASE II OBJECTIVES WILL BE TO IMPLEMENT FABRICATION AND ASSEMBLY SCHEDULES DETERMINED IN THIS PHASE I RESEARCH AND EVALUATE ITS YIELD, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, AND ECONOMICS.