NEURON ADHESION ON A SILICON CHIP PROBED BY AN ARRAY OF FIELD-EFFECT TRANSISTORS

The interaction of an individual nerve cell with a surface of oxidized silicon is studied. ac voltages from 0.1 to 5000 Hz are applied to th e neuron. The resulting voltage profiles in the cleft between cell mem brane and surface are recorded by an array of sixteen field-effect tra nsistors with open metal-free gate oxide. Using methods of the cable t heory to describe the contact area (diameter around 35 mu m), we evalu ate the width of the cleft (around 20 nm) and the conductance of the m embrane, which is enhanced by an order of magnitude.