Patterned organic LEDs for interfacing neurons

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) offer unique properties such as large-area emission, compatibility with flexible substrates, tuning of emitted spectrum, and structuring into high-density arrays. This makes OLEDs attractive for biomedical applications like on-chip sensing or wearable health monitoring and, more recently, also to control the activity of neurons through a method called optogenetics. So far, most light sources used in optogenetics provide limited spatial resolution. In this contribution, we present micropatterned OLEDs that are capable of precisely controlling neuronal activity in Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) larvae. The OLEDs provide highly confined light stimuli to individual abdominal segments, which allows precise activation and inhibition of sensory input in larvae. Our work demonstrates the advantages of OLED technology for neuroscience and provides prospects for future integration of OLEDs in implants.