Artifact‐Free 2D Mapping of Neural Activity In Vivo through Transparent Gold Nanonetwork Array

With the rapid increase in the use of optogenetics to investigate the nervous system, there is a high demand for a neural interface that enables 2D mapping of electrophysiological neural signals with high precision during simultaneous light stimulation. Here, a gold nanonetwork (Au NN)‐based transparent neural electrocorticogram (ECoG) monitoring system is proposed as implantable neural electronics. The neural interface enables accurate 2D mapping of ECoG neural signals without any photoelectric artifact during light stimulation. By using the Au NN, not only the transmittance of the microelectrodes is increased by 81% but also a low electrochemical impedance of 33.9 kΩ at 1 kHz with improved mechanical stability is achieved. It is demonstrated that the transparent microelectrode array records multichannel in vivo neural activities with no photoelectric artifact and a high signal‐to‐noise ratio. Propagation of neural dynamics of optically driven neural activities is also clearly visualized using the 2D Au NN microelectrode array. This transparent, flexible ECoG microelectrode array is a promising candidate for next‐generation in vitro and in vivo neural interface for 2D mapping of neural dynamics. A transparent electrocorticogram (ECoG) array based on gold nanonetwork (Au NN) structures is achieved through a typical micro‐electromechanical system process and electrospinning of poly(methyl methacrylate) nanofibers, which allows simple control of the transparency of microelectrodes. The high transmittance of Au NN microelectrodes is capable of not only negligible photoelectric artifact, but also improved mechanical stability compared to those of Au film microelectrodes.