Organic electrochemical transistors for BioMEMS applications

A visible trend over the past few years involves the application of organic electronic materials to the interface with biology, with applications both in sensing and actuation. Examples include biosensors, artificial muscles and neural interface devices. These materials offer an attractive combination of properties, including mechanical flexibility, enhanced biocompatibility, and capability for drug delivery. Most importantly, high ionic mobilities in organic films enable new ways of signal transduction. An example of a device that takes advantage of these properties is the organic electrochemical transistor (OECT). In this device, ions from an electrolyte enter a conducting polymer channel and change its conductivity, hence the drain current. As such OECTs offer a convenient and powerful way to transduce signals of biological origin. Here we report high performance OECTs that are used to record neural activity. As such, they promise to yield a new tool for neuroscience and enhance our understanding on how the brain works.