RESUMEN
The development of patterning materials ("resists") at the nanoscale involves two distinct trends: one is toward high sensitivity and resolution for miniaturization, the other aims at functionalization of the resists to realize bottom-up construction of distinct nanoarchitectures. Patterning of carbon nanostructures, a seemingly ideal application for organic functional resists, has been highly reliant on complicated pattern transfer processes because of a lack of patternable precursors. Herein, we present a fullerene-metal coordination complex as a fabrication material for direct functional patterning of sub-10 nm metal-containing carbon structures. The attachment of one platinum atom per fullerene molecule not only leads to significant improvement of sensitivity and resolution but also enables stable atomic dispersion of the platinum ions within the carbon matrix, which may gain fundamentally new interest in functional patterning of hierarchical carbon nanostructures.
RESUMEN
The spiral peripheral nerve interface (SPNI) has been developed to record neural activity by utilizing the body's own ability to regenerate axons after injury. The implantable device is capable of providing a chronic recording array for use with technology designed to compensate for a loss of motor function. The SPNI offers a good route to establishing an effective interface to the peripheral nervous system (PNS) as the signals are enclosed within an insulating array that amplifies the axon signals for the neural recording, and reduces the amount of current necessary for stimulation. This paper presents an updated fabrication process that addresses the problems of previous designs and allows for an easier integration to external electronics via a ball-bonding technique. The updated device has been tested electrically in vitro, to show that it is capable of providing a reliable electrical interface to the regenerated tissue.