This paper proposes a neural stimulation device integrated with a silicon nanowire\n(SiNW)-based photodetection circuit for the activation of neurons with light. The proposed device\nis comprised of a voltage divider and a current driver in which SiNWs are used as photodetector\nand field-effect transistors; it has the functions of detecting light, generating a stimulation signal\nin proportion to the light intensity, and transmitting the signal to a micro electrode. To show the\napplicability of the proposed neural stimulation device as a high-resolution retinal prosthesis system,\na high-density neural stimulation device with a unit cell size of 110 Ã?â?? 110 Ã?¼m and a resolution of\n32 Ã?â?? 32 was fabricated on a flexible film with a thickness of approximately 50 Ã?¼m. Its effectiveness\nas a retinal stimulation device was then evaluated using a unit cell in an in vitro animal experiment\ninvolving the retinal tissue of retinal Degeneration 1 (rd1) mice. Experiments wherein stimulation\npulses were applied to the retinal tissues successfully demonstrate that the number of spikes in neural\nresponse signals increases in proportion to light intensity.
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