Investigation of using Cyclic Olefin Copolymer as Neural Electrode.

Cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) is a polymer that has recently been attracting attention in optics and microfluidic applications due to its high solvent resistance, biocompatibility, thermoplasticity, and optical transparency. It also has very low water absorption rate, which makes COC a very good candidate for packaging material for implantable neural prosthetic devices. In this study, we investigated the possibilities of fabricating COC into a neural electrode. We started by heat-compressing COC pellets to form films. After oxygen plasma surface treatment, a thin layer of gold was deposited. Then, a standard photolithography technique was used to pattern the gold. Finally, the paths were insulated using an extra film of COC. The validity of the fabricated electrode was confirmed by metal contact test and soak testing in PBS solution for a week.