Tunable oscillations in the Purkinje neuron.

In this paper, we experimentally study the dynamics of slow oscillations in Purkinje neurons in vitro, and derive a strong association with a forced parametric oscillator model. We observed the precise rhythmicity of these oscillations in Purkinje neurons, as well as a dynamic tunability of this oscillation using a photoswitchable compound. We found that this slow oscillation can be induced in every Purkinje neuron measured, having periods ranging between 10 and 25 s.

A Signal Processing Analysis of Purkinje Cells in vitro.

Cerebellar Purkinje cells in vitro fire recurrent sequences of Sodium and Calcium spikes. Here, we analyze the Purkinje cell using harmonic analysis, and our experiments reveal that its output signal is comprised of three distinct frequency bands, which are combined using Amplitude and Frequency Modulation (AM/FM). We find that the three characteristic frequencies - Sodium, Calcium and Switching - occur in various combinations in all waveforms observed using whole-cell current clamp recordings.

A complete scheme for creating predefined networks of individual carbon nanotubes.

We describe and demonstrate a method of creating arrays of patterned, individual, single-walled carbon nanotubes, including the spectroscopic mapping of the array. The process consists of creating networks of nanotubes suspended between silicon pillars, which are then transferred onto other substrates by an innovative process of direct stamping. Raman spectroscopy is used to spatially map and assign the specific properties of the suspended network prior to transfer.

Electro-chemical and biological properties of carbon nanotube based multi-electrode arrays.

A novel class of micro-electrodes was fabricated by synthesizing high density carbon nanotube islands on lithographically defined, passivated titanium nitride conductors on a silicon dioxide substrate. Electrochemical characterization in phosphate buffered saline of these new electrodes reveals superb electrochemical properties marked by featureless rectangular cyclic voltammetry curves corresponding to a DC surface specific capacitance and a volume specific capacitance as high as 10 mF cm(-2) and 10 F cm(-3), respectively. These electrodes are also characterized by a slowly varying impedance magnitude over the range of 1 Hz to 20 kHz.