Impact Statement:Optogenetics not only opens new exciting opportunities to manipulate the nervous system but also requires optoelectronic tools to facilitate these goals. In this work, we...Show More
Abstract:
Optogenetics is one of the most powerful investigation tools in neuroscience research. A major engineering challenge is the wireless power supply needed to operate the li...Show MoreMetadata
Impact Statement:
Optogenetics not only opens new exciting opportunities to manipulate the nervous system but also requires optoelectronic tools to facilitate these goals. In this work, we report for the first time GaAs based microscale solar cell arrays as wireless power supplies which can operate blue and yellow LEDs and generate optical powers above the threshold for optogenetic stimulation.This work paves the way for further designing efficient photovoltaic systems as power supplies for bioelectronics.
Abstract:
Optogenetics is one of the most powerful investigation tools in neuroscience research. A major engineering challenge is the wireless power supply needed to operate the light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and generate over 1 mW/mm2 optical power density required to activate opsins. Here, we describe design strategies to construct gallium arsenide microscale solar cells and approaches to integrate them into array structures as efficient optogenetic power options. The photovoltaic (PV) system outputs an electric power of 2.30 mW with an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 4.97 V and a short-circuit current (Isc) of 0.59 mA under direct infrared illumination. We show that this power level is enough to operate both blue and yellow LEDs and provide optical power densities of 3.5 and 2.3 mW/mm2, respectively. This paper provides a guideline to design efficient PV systems as power supplies for optogenetics and other biomedical implants.
Published in: IEEE Photonics Journal ( Volume: 11, Issue: 1, February 2019)
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