Graphene electronics in biomedical applications

Jose A. Garrido

Catalan Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (ICN2), CSIC and The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain

ICREA, Institució Catalana de Recerca i Estudis Avançats, 08070 Barcelona, Spain

Graphene and graphene-based materials possess a rather exclusive set of physicochemical properties holding great potential for biomedical applications. In this presentation, I will provide an overview on fundamentals and applications of several graphene-based technologies and devices, namely solution-gated field-effect transistors and microelectrode arrays based on CVD-grown graphene. I will first introduce the science and technology of such electronic devices, both on rigid and flexible substrates, discussing the influence of the intrinsic properties of CVD graphene (e.g. grain boundaries) and comparing their performance with other competing technologies. The presentation will further discuss on the functionalization of these devices aiming at the introduction of specific sensing mechanisms, which is of particular relevance for the development of chemical and biochemical sensors. Based on these technologies, I will also report on experiments aiming at the bidirectional communication with electrogenic cells as well as the detection of neurotransmitters, suggesting a bright future for graphene-based technologies in the field of neuroprosthetics.

Left: Representation of an electrogenic cell on a graphene transistor. Middle: Optical image of an array of graphene solution-gated field-effect transistors. Right: Transistor recordings of the action potentials of electrogenic cells cultured on an array of devices.