Nanostructures for Enabling Implantable Bioelectronic Systems

Nanomaterials and nanostructures will play a critical role in addressing the challenges associated with the realization of implantable electronic systems that interface with the nervous system. Current packaging approaches deal with large enclosures with leads and connectors that are not scalable to address the need for high-channel density nerve interfaces in ultra-thin or flexible form-factors. Power supply without the need for a battery is another key challenge. Power supply and conversion with embedded power components as inductive links for wireless power and flex high-density nanostructured capacitors for storage and noise filtering is a key building block to realize such systems. High-density and scalable feedthrough approaches that can achieve higher channel density with recent advances in 3D packaging technologies should be complemented with advanced remateable but hermetic interconnection technologies to the flex connectors that interface with the neurons. Nanomaterials and processing can enable low- temperature and low-cost scalable solutions to address this need. Nanolaminate or multilayered nanocoatings are being explored to achieve hermetic but conformal and low-stress barriers that can eliminate the diffusion of moisture or ions into the electronics. New innovations in engineered metal-polymer interfaces to create nanostructured inorganic-organic hybrid interlayers are shown to improve the metal-polymer adhesion. This paper will review these recent advances in nanostructures for realizing implantable bioelectronics systems.