二维材料红外探测器监测脑科学中的神经活动

Brain neurological activities are always the focus of neurobiologists, which can’t be investigated with traditional biochemical methods for the destructive treatment and can’t be monitored by traditional clinical imaging methods precisely. Previous studies have shown that neurological activities can be indirectly reflected by blood oxygen saturation and directly reflected by calcium ion concentration, respectively. However, due to the limitations of optical microscopy, infrared fluorescence sensors and infrared detectors, it’s still difficult to monitor brain neurological activities in deep tissue in situ. In this project, we will first prepare a two-dimensional nBn infrared detector on flexible substrates with high sensitive and detectability at room temperature. We will then quantify oxygen saturation in blood with time-resolved transient absorption spectral microscopy and visualize the calcium concentration in deep tissue with fluorescence imaging in the short infrared (1-3 µm) band. Based on flexible nBn two-dimensional infrared detector and quantitative methods, brain neurological activities can be monitored in situ. This research is a interdiscipline of optics, electronics and biomedicine that combined the advantages of methods, technologies and devices. It breaks through the bottleneck of traditional biochemical methods and clinical imaging technologies, and brings new solutions for brain neurological activities monitor accurately in situ.

脑科学中的神经活动一直是被关注的焦点，传统生化方法的破坏性处理无法适用于神经活动的研究，临床BLOD-fMRI影像学手段不适合神经活动的精准监测。前期研究表明神经活动分别可以通过血液的血氧饱和度和神经元的钙离子浓度来间接和直接反映，但是由于光学显微方法、红外荧光探针和红外探测器等各方面的限制，脑科学中深组织下神经活动的原位监测仍是一个难以解决的问题。本项目制备出在常温下具有高探测率的柔性衬底nBn结构的二维材料高灵敏红外探测器，在短波红外（1-3 µm）波段内用血液的时间分辨瞬态吸收光谱定量血氧饱和度以及短波红外荧光成像定量深组织下的钙离子浓度。基于柔性衬底nBn红外探测器，利用建立的定量方法，实现活体原位神经活动的监测。该研究集合了方法、技术和器件等多方面的优势，实现了光学、电子和生物医学多学科的交叉，将突破传统生化方法和临床影像学的瓶颈，为神经活动的原位精准监测带来新的解决方案。

脑科学中的神经活动一直是被关注的焦点，由于传统生化方法的破坏性处理和光学方法的穿透深度限制，脑科学中深组织下神经活动的原位监测仍是一个难以解决的问题。本项目的主要研究内容为二维材料红外探测器及在神经活动调控应用方面的探索，主要包括基于光栅调控ZnO近红外光电探测器、MoS2同质结光电探测器、薄层PtS2光电探测器、硫化铌（NbS3）光电探测器、Ta掺杂的p型MoSe2的高性能同质结光电探测器和反相器以及中波红外HgCdTe雪崩二极管(e-APDs)等。这些工作都为近红外光电神经活动的原位监测的应用探索打下了夯实的基础。