Nanophotonic neural probes for in vivo photostimulation, electrophysiology, and microfluidic delivery

Nanophotonic neural probes for in vivo photostimulation, electrophysiology, and microfluidic delivery | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Article Nanophotonic neural probes for in vivo photostimulation, electrophysiology, and microfluidic delivery Xin Mu, Homeira Chameh, Mandana Movahed, Fu Der Chen, John Straguzzi, and 9 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7464471/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Published Journal Publication published 20 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Microsystems & Nanoengineering → Version 1 posted 11 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Implantable silicon neural probes with integrated optical emitters and electrodes are emerging tools for simultaneous optogenetic stimulation and electrophysiological recording in deep brain regions. In parallel, neural probes with microfluidic channels have been developed for localized drug delivery and neurochemical sampling. However, thus far, such fluidic probes have lacked optical and electrical functionalities or been limited to a low number of optical emitters and/or electrodes, constraining their utility in multimodal investigations of neural circuits. Here, we introduce foundry-fabricated silicon nanophotonic neural probes with monolithically integrated microfluidics. Each probe has 16 silicon nitride grating coupler emitters, 18 titanium nitride microelectrodes, and one embedded microfluidic channel. We evaluate the photonic, electrophysiological, and microfluidic functionalities in vivo in optogenetic, blue-light-sensitive mice. With our multifunctional neural probes, we demonstrate local suppression of epileptic seizure activity (induced by microfluidic injection of 4-aminopyridine) using photostimulation. Through foundry-compatible microfluidics integration, this work advances the versatility of nanophotonic neural probes and presents new possibilities for multimodal neuroscience experiments leveraging this scalable neurotechnology. Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Nanobiotechnology/Nanofabrication and nanopatterning Physical sciences/Nanoscience and technology/Nanobiotechnology/Microfluidics Physical sciences/Optics and photonics Full Text Additional Declarations There is no conflict of interest Supplementary Files supplementary.pdf Nanophotonic neural probes for in vivo photostimulation, electrophysiology, and microfluidic delivery Cite Share Download PDF Status: Published Journal Publication published 20 Mar, 2026 Read the published version in Microsystems & Nanoengineering → Version 1 posted Editorial decision: revise 22 Oct, 2025 Review # 3 received at journal 17 Oct, 2025 Reviewer # 3 agreed at journal 05 Oct, 2025 Review # 2 received at journal 01 Oct, 2025 Review # 1 received at journal 30 Sep, 2025 Reviewer # 2 agreed at journal 17 Sep, 2025 Reviewer # 1 agreed at journal 17 Sep, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 17 Sep, 2025 Submission checks completed at journal 27 Aug, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 26 Aug, 2025 First submitted to journal 26 Aug, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7464471","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":516321588,"identity":"39022a22-45e7-4e81-9105-8a934eafd6ea","order_by":0,"name":"Xin Mu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAA80lEQVRIie3PMQrCMBSA4SeFurzUtS56AiEgBAfxLBFBFxHBpYNDQaiHsHgJwdki1qWgY6UOde/g6KSmpeIU7SiYfwgh5CN5ACrVL6aliwWgAwLE4/wUv5IgJ5wWIWklJ79WiNA92a3Icj0ygHhXTtvQWMyPkFhyUp0Z/Yiso4kORs/ktA/sHIxLbiAnFQ1ZSrpOPaGCbIGFQ64RR070jLiCADZvnD5ycv/2ip0RJl7ZCDLYaMT+NAuyk+unsyBrcdpDMQt4ri8n9BCwMJlGo7qNzfBqdWosml/iZConr/hrg2Ci+F6B+HtrluMiQqVSqf6nJ3TNTLWXHFAUAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6188-7969","institution":"Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Xin","middleName":"","lastName":"Mu","suffix":""},{"id":516321589,"identity":"8eb5e0bf-9d7f-4e9a-b798-93918a9cf611","order_by":1,"name":"Homeira Chameh","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Krembil Brain Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Homeira","middleName":"","lastName":"Chameh","suffix":""},{"id":516321590,"identity":"02dbde55-43ca-46ad-9b7f-85f7576bb4c6","order_by":2,"name":"Mandana Movahed","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Krembil Brain Institute","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mandana","middleName":"","lastName":"Movahed","suffix":""},{"id":516321591,"identity":"e4cf6bbc-dc8a-4087-9724-1b0305b74cf4","order_by":3,"name":"Fu Der Chen","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Fu","middleName":"Der","lastName":"Chen","suffix":""},{"id":516321592,"identity":"edefdbc0-bd2e-4fec-b148-20e065df422c","order_by":4,"name":"John Straguzzi","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"John","middleName":"","lastName":"Straguzzi","suffix":""},{"id":516321593,"identity":"96f9cd6a-45e0-47a6-9905-78708df848d3","order_by":5,"name":"Piyush Kumar","email":"","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9965-8691","institution":"Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Piyush","middleName":"","lastName":"Kumar","suffix":""},{"id":516321594,"identity":"262ac657-67e1-4928-8fd9-357594e21175","order_by":6,"name":"Andrei Stalmashonak","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Andrei","middleName":"","lastName":"Stalmashonak","suffix":""},{"id":516321595,"identity":"5f81605c-c661-41f7-a994-de7a29906a72","order_by":7,"name":"Hannes Wahn","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Hannes","middleName":"","lastName":"Wahn","suffix":""},{"id":516321596,"identity":"660cbecf-c449-439b-8a57-69ddf289806a","order_by":8,"name":"Hongyao Chua","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Advanced Micro Foundry Pte. 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