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A design and modeling perspective on photostimulation of the subretinal prosthesis with graphene-based photodiodes

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Abstract

The two leading causes of blindness in the developed world are age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. The photostimulation of remaining retinal neurons using a photodiode in a proposed subretinal prosthesis is one of the solutions that hopes to restore vision. In this paper, we envision a better result through device simulation and modeling of a graphene-based photodiode that yields high-performance, wire-free, and light-induced retina implants. This study shows how the characteristics of graphene-based photodiodes have an improved result in terms of low threshold requirements for the activation of neurons. Graphene-based photodiode responsiveness is significantly improved in the visible and near-infrared ranges. Using a graphene photoconductive layer in a silicon photodiode can significantly decrease contact resistance, reduce dark current up to 20-fold, and lower the induced thermal effect and spontaneous emission by orders of magnitude of 103 and 106, respectively, compared to its Si counterparts. This advancement highlights graphene’s potential for optimizing metal–semiconductor interfaces, offering improved precision and sensitivity for high-resolution retinal prosthesis applications requiring enhanced signal-to-noise ratio and finer control. We offered a range of sizes for graphene-based photodiode arrays, including [5 × 5], [6 × 6], [6 × 7], and [7 × 6], to ensure the subretinal prostheses meet thermal safety standards. Physics-based modeling and simulation of graphene-based devices help us understand charge transfer mechanisms, improve operating bias, and achieve proper band gap modulation, which ushers in the development of graphene-like 2D materials for photostimulating neurons in projected retinal prostheses.

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Data availability

This study is a computational study based on Comsol Multiphysics 6.0 simulation software. The model files and simulation setup used in this study are available upon request from the corresponding author.

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Acknowledgements

We acknowledge the software support from the Indian Science Technology and Engineering Facilities Map (I-STEM) program funded by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India to carry out this academic research work at the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nano Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India

    Sharique Ali Asghar

  2. School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal, 721302, India

    Manjunatha Mahadevappa

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  1. Sharique Ali Asghar
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Contributions

Sharique Ali Asghar: Conceptualization, methodology, software, validation, formal analysis, investigation, data curation, writing—original draft, writing - review & editing. Manjunatha Mahadevappa: Supervision and review. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.

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Correspondence to Manjunatha Mahadevappa.

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Asghar, S.A., Mahadevappa, M. A design and modeling perspective on photostimulation of the subretinal prosthesis with graphene-based photodiodes. J Comput Electron (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10825-024-02144-x

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