Thin film optical detectors for retinal implantation and methods for making and using same

The present invention provides a method for capturing optical micro detectors for improved surgical handling during implantation into an eye comprising the steps of providing an optically active thin film heterostructure on a soluble substrate; forming an array comprising individual optical microdetectors from the optically active thin film heterostructure; attaching the optical microdetector array onto a biodegradable polymer carrier membrane; and separating the optical microdetector array attached to the biodegradable polymer carrier membrane from the soluble substrate thereby capturing the optical microdetectors in the bio-polymer carrier membrane for improved handling of the optical micro-detectors during transfer and implantation into the eye.