Polymer-based optoelectronic interface and methods for its manufacture

An optoelectronic device comprising:

• a curved or domed support;
• and
• an optoelectronic interface, the optoelectronic interface being bonded to the support, the optoelectronic interface being polymer-based, the optoelectronic interface comprising:
• an elastomeric substrate;
• and
• a plurality of discrete photovoltaic pixel elements disposed on top of the elastomeric substrate, each photovoltaic pixel element being excitable by light to generate an electric signal via a photovoltaic process, each photovoltaic pixel element comprising:
• at least one active layer comprising a semiconducting polymer or polymer mixture, the at least one active layer being patterned such that the at least one active layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the at least one active layer of any other discrete adjacent photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface;
• and
• an electrically conducting base layer disposed between the elastomeric substrate and the active layer, the base layer being patterned such that the base layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the base layer of any other photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface.

A method of manufacturing a polymer-based optoelectronic interface, the method comprising:

• providing an elastomeric substrate;
• and
• creating a plurality of discrete photovoltaic pixel elements on top of said elastomeric substrate, each photovoltaic pixel element being excitable by light to generate an electric signal via a photovoltaic process, each photovoltaic pixel element comprising:
• at least one active layer comprising a semiconducting polymer or polymer mixture, the at least one active layer being patterned such that the at least one active layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the at least one active layer of any other discrete adjacent photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface;
• and
• an electrically conducting base layer disposed between the elastomeric substrate and the active layer, the base layer being patterned such that the base layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the base layer of any other photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface.

An injectable, self-opening and freestanding retinal prosthesis comprising:

• a curved or domed support;
• and
• a polymer-based optoelectronic interface bonded to the support, the optoelectronic interface comprising:
• an elastomeric substrate;
• and
• a plurality of discrete photovoltaic pixel elements disposed on top of the substrate, each photovoltaic pixel element being excitable by light to generate an electric signal via a photovoltaic process, each photovoltaic pixel element facing away from the support and comprising:
• at least one active layer comprising a semiconducting polymer or polymer mixture, the at least one active layer being patterned such that the at least one active layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the at least one active layer of any other discrete adjacent photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface;
• an electrically conducting base layer disposed between the substrate and the active layer, the base layer comprising at least one conducting polymer, the base layer being patterned such that the base layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the base layer of any other photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface;
• and
• an electrically conducting contact layer on top of at least a portion of the active layer such that illumination of the pixel element causes a voltage to develop between the base layer and the contact layer, the contact layer being configured to provide electric contact between the pixel element and a target tissue when the retinal prosthesis is implanted, the contact layer being patterned such that the contact layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the contact layer of any other photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface.

An injectable, self-opening and freestanding retinal prosthesis comprising:

• a curved or domed support;
• and
• a polymer-based optoelectronic interface bonded to the support, the optoelectronic interface comprising:
• an elastomeric substrate;
• and
• a plurality of discrete photovoltaic pixel elements disposed on top of the substrate, each pixel element facing away from the support and comprising at least one active layer comprising a semiconducting polymer or polymer mixture, each pixel element being excitable by light to generate an electric signal via a photovoltaic process;
• and
• an elastomeric encapsulation layer, the encapsulation layer being disposed on top of the substrate and the pixel elements, the encapsulation layer defining access openings, each access opening extending from one of the pixel elements to an outer surface of the encapsulation layer;
• and
• pillar-like structures, each pillar-like structure being disposed on top of one of the pixel elements, each pillar-like structure being at least partially surrounded by one of the access openings,
• wherein at least some of the pixel elements comprise an electrode layer that at least partially covers the respective pillar-like structure and a portion of the associated pixel element that is not covered by the pillar-like structure, the electrode layer being configured to provide electric contact between the pixel element and a target tissue when the retinal prosthesis is implanted.

A polymer-based optoelectronic interface comprising:

• an elastomeric substrate;
• a plurality of discrete photovoltaic pixel elements disposed on top of the elastomeric substrate, each photovoltaic pixel element being excitable by light to generate an electric signal via a photovoltaic process, each photovoltaic pixel element comprising at least one active layer comprising a semiconducting polymer or polymer mixture, the at least one active layer being patterned such that the at least one active layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the at least one active layer of any other discrete adjacent photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface;
• and
• an elastomeric encapsulation layer, the elastomeric encapsulation layer being disposed on top of the elastomeric substrate and the photovoltaic pixel elements, the elastomeric encapsulation layer defining access openings, each access opening extending from one of the photovoltaic pixel elements to an outer surface of the elastomeric encapsulation layer;
• and
• pillar-like structures, each pillar-like structure being disposed on top of one of the photovoltaic pixel elements, each pillar-like structure being at least partially surrounded by one of the access openings,
• wherein the pillar-like structures are made of the same material as the elastomeric encapsulation layer.

A polymer-based optoelectronic interface comprising:

• an elastomeric substrate;
• a plurality of discrete photovoltaic pixel elements disposed on top of the elastomeric substrate, each photovoltaic pixel element being excitable by light to generate an electric signal via a photovoltaic process, each photovoltaic pixel element comprising at least one active layer comprising a semiconducting polymer or polymer mixture, the at least one active layer being patterned such that the at least one active layer of each discrete photovoltaic pixel element is separate from the at least one active layer of any other discrete adjacent photovoltaic pixel element of the optoelectronic interface;
• and
• an elastomeric encapsulation layer, the elastomeric encapsulation layer being disposed on top of the elastomeric substrate and the photovoltaic pixel elements, the elastomeric encapsulation layer defining access openings, each access opening extending from one of the photovoltaic pixel elements to an outer surface of the elastomeric encapsulation layer;
• and
• pillar-like structures, each pillar-like structure being disposed on top of one of the photovoltaic pixel elements, each pillar-like structure being at least partially surrounded by one of the access openings,
• wherein at least some of the photovoltaic pixel elements comprise an electrode layer that at least partially covers the respective pillar-like structure and a portion of the associated photovoltaic pixel element that is not covered by the pillar-like structure.