Single-Cell Membrane Potential Stimulation and Recording by an Electrolyte-Gated Organic Field-Effect Transistor

The reliable stimulation and recording of electrical activity in single cells by means of organic bio-electronics will be an important milestone in developing new low-cost and highly biocompatible medical devices. This paper demonstrates extracellular voltage stimulation and single-cell membrane potential recording by means of a dual-gate electrolyte-gated organic field-effect transistors (EGOFET) employing 2,8-Difluoro-5,11-bis(triethylsilylethynyl)anthradithiophene blended with polystyrene as active material. To obtain a sufficiently small footprint to allow bidirectional communication at the single cell level, the EGOFET technology has been scaled down implementing a Corbino layout, paving the way to the development of novel bidirectional Electrocorticography (ECoG) devices with a high spatial resolution. A specific and thorough analysis of the working mechanisms of EGOFET-based bio-sensors is reported, highlighting the importance of the device design and using an appropriate batch of measurements for the recording of the electrical activity of cells.