Laser Driven Miniature Diamond Implant for Wireless Retinal Prostheses

Abstract

The design and benchtop operation of a wireless miniature epiretinal stimulator implant is reported. The implant is optically powered and controlled using safe illumination at near‐infrared wavelengths. An application‐specific integrated circuit (ASIC) hosting a digital control unit is used to control the implant's electrodes. The ASIC is powered using an advanced photovoltaic (PV) cell and programmed using a single photodiode. Diamond packaging technology is utilized to achieve high‐density integration of the implant optoelectronic circuitry, as well as individual connections between a stimulator chip and 256 electrodes, within a 4.6 mm × 3.7 mm × 0.9 mm implant package. An ultrahigh effici..