Gold Nanorod-Embedded PDMS Micro-Pillar Array for Localized Photothermal Stimulation.

Gold nanorods (GNRs) are one of the most promising biomaterial choices for the photothermal activation of neurons due to their relative biocompatibility, unique photothermal properties, and broad optical tunability through their synthetic shape control. While photothermal stimulation using randomly accumulated GNRs successfully demonstrates the potential treatment of functional neural disorders by modulating the neuronal activities using localized heating, there are limited demonstrations to translate this new concept into large-arrayed neural stimulations. In this paper, we report an arrayed PDMS micropillar platform in which GNRs are embedded as pixel-like, arrayed photothermal stimulators at the tips of the pillars.