Fabrication and characterization of micro-nano electrodes for implantable BCI

Signal recording and stimulation with high spatial and temporal resolution are of increasing interest with the development of implantable brain-computer interfaces (BCIs). However, implantable BCI technology still faces challenges in the biocompatibility and long-term stability of devices after implantation. Due to the cone structure, needle electrodes have advantages in the biocompatibility and stability as nerve recording electrodes. This paper develops the fabrication of Ag needle micro/nano electrodes with a laser-assisted pulling method and modifies the electrode surface by electrochemical oxidation. A significant impedance reduction of the modified Ag/AgCl electrodes compared to the Ag electrodes is demonstrated by the electrochemical impedance spectrum (EIS). Furthermore, the stability of modified Ag/AgCl electrodes is confirmed by cyclic voltammogram (CV) scanning. These findings suggest that these micro/nano electrodes have a great application prospect in neural interfaces.