Ultra-fast photoelectron transfer in bimetallic porphyrin optoelectrode for single neuron modulation

• Published in: Nature communications 2024-11, Vol.15 (1), p.10241-12, Article 10241
• Main Authors: Chen, Jian, Chen, Feixiang, Wang, Xueli, Zhuang, Hongjun, Guo, Mengnan, Wang, Luo, Xie, Junze, Zhang, Le, Liu, Hao, Shi, Yuhan, Zhou, Jiajia, Mao, Xinjie, Lv, Muyao, Jiang, Xingwu, Chen, Jinquan, Liu, Yanyan, Jin, Dayong, Bu, Wenbo
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 14; 14/28; 14/34; 142/136; 147/135; 147/137; 631/1647/350/354; 631/57/2282; 639/638/298/398; 639/925/357/354; Action potential; Action Potentials - physiology; Animals; Bimetals; Charge transfer; Cortex (motor); Efficiency; Electrodes; Electrons; Energy charge; Energy Transfer; Excitation; Genetics; Gold; Gold - chemistry; Humanities and Social Sciences; I.R. radiation; Information processing; Infrared radiation; Irradiation; Lasers; Ligands; Light; Light irradiation; Light modulation; Mice; Motor Cortex - cytology; Motor Cortex - physiology; multidisciplinary; Neural networks; Neuromodulation; Neurons; Neurons - metabolism; Neurons - physiology; Optics; Optogenetics - methods; Photoelectric effect; Photoelectricity; Photoelectrons; Photons; Photovoltaic cells; Photovoltaics; Porphyrins; Porphyrins - chemistry; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Self-assembly; Spectrum analysis; Transfection; Wavelet transforms; Zinc; Zinc - chemistry; Zinc - metabolism
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-54325-8

Shrinking the size of photoelectrodes into the nanoscale will enable the precise modulation of cellular and subcellular behaviors of a single neuron and neural circuits. However, compared to photovoltaic devices, the reduced size causes the compromised efficiencies. Here, we present a highly efficient nanoelectrode based on bimetallic zinc and gold porphyrin (ZnAuPN). Upon light excitation, we observe ultrafast energy transfer (~66 ps) and charge transfer (~0.5 ps) through the porphyrin ring, enabling 97% efficiency in separating and transferring photoinduced charges to single Au-atom centers. Leveraging these isolated Au atoms as stimulating electrode arrays, we achieve significant photocurrent injection in single neurons, triggering action potential with millisecond light pulses. Notably, Extracranial near-infrared light irradiation of the motor cortex induces neuronal firing and enhances mouse movement. These results show the potential of nanoscale optoelectrodes for high spatiotemporal modulation of neuronal networks without the need for gene transfection in optogenetics. Bimetallic zinc and gold porphyrin self-assembled into 2D nanosheets as nanoscale optoelectrodes. This design achieves exceptional photoelectric performance under visible one-photon and near-infrared two-photon excitation, enabling far-field optical modulation of single neurons.