Carbon Nanofiber Electrode Arrays for Smart Deep Brain Stimulation: Exploring growth and new applications

Since their discovery [1], carbon nanotubes have been used in everything from lightweight composites to electrical components in sensors and electronics. The development of substrate-grown vertically aligned carbon nanotubes by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD ) [2] spurred on exciting new applications in electronics, field emission, and sensors. These materials were later called carbon nanofibers (CN Fs). This article describes the growth, characterization, and electrical properties of CN Fs and their use as stimulating and sensing electrodes in neuromodulation applications.