A Photo-Thermal-Electrical Converter Based on Carbon Nanotubes for Bioelectronic Applications
There is currently substantial interest in creating bioelectronic devices that can be implanted in and attached to humans for sensing and control of organs and internal systems in order to prolong and improve the quality of life. Herein we report a new type of implantable bioelectronic device that is operated by laser irradiation from outside the body. Carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which absorb laser light and transform it to thermal energy with high efficiency, are key in the design of this device; the thermal energy is further converted into electrical power with a Seebeck device. The CNT-based photo-thermal-electrical converter is unique and has potential in practical use as it can be simply operated by laser irradiation, and can be easily removed or replaced as it is embedded near the skin. [Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 16 Dec 2011]