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New System for the Synthesis of Silicon-Based Materials for Biological Modulation

Published:
Lead Inventor: Bozhi Tian
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SUMMARY

  • Pure silicon materials with strong photoelectrochemical properties are  advantageous to biomodulations devices due to their excellent dielectric properties that are promising in many electrical transmission applications. Synthesis of such materials have previously been completed with dopant modulation but lack efficiency and fast production.
  • This technology addresses prior shortcomings by utilizing microstructure engineering over dopant modulation to enable the fabrication of semiconductor heterojunctions. This new synthesis strategy of silicon-based photoelectrochemical materials is fast and efficient and holds a wide variety of applications in biological modulation and energy science.
  • This fabrication technique is compatible with the processing of ultrathin, soft, and flexible silicon micro membranes, which are used as interconnect-free biomodulations devices. 
  • Through ex vivo heart pacing and in vivo sciatic nerve stimulation the utility of such materials was demonstrated. The flexibility of the device was able to contour to the curvilinear wet surface of the heart and sciatic nerve while delivering adequate optical pulses that were recorded through electromyography recordings. 

FIGURE

Nanoporous/non-porous silicon materials enable efficient photoelectrochemical effects, and their biomimetic structure makes them suitable for application in biointerfaces. (a) Diodes are the key building blocks for solar cells and photoelectrochemical cells. The p–n junction creates a built-in electrical field that separates the light-generated electrons (e– ) and holes (h+). In a photocathodic reaction, the electrons can reach the surface of an n-type silicon for reduction reactions. A difference in porosity can create a diode-like band alignment in a p-type silicon. This heterojunction demonstrates strong photoelectrochemical properties without the need for dopant modulation. Moreover, the porous surface yields a softer biointerface, which may further reduce the biomechanical mismatch. Re, reductant; Ox, oxidant; EV, valence band edge; EC, conduction band edge; EF, Fermi level; hν, photon energy. (B) Thin and flexible nanoporous/non-porous silicon membranes allow stimulation of rat hearts ex vivo and sciatic nerves in vivo using low-energy light pulses. (Reproduced from Prominski et al. 2022. Nature Materials.)

 

ADVANTAGES

ADVANTAGES

  • A microstructure engineering synthesis technique is faster and more efficient
  • Performs under ambient temperature and pressure with no need for additional instrumentation
  • Enables leadless optoelectronic stimulation of tissues

APPLICATIONS

  • Biological Modulation
  • Cardiac Pacing
  • Peripheral Nerve Regeneration
  • Energy Science

PUBLICATIONS

A Prominski et al. 2022. Porosity-based heterojunctions enable leadless optoelectronic modulation of tissues. Nature Materials.