imec's Neuropixels Opto probe packs dual-wavelength photonics and 960 electrodes on 130nm CMOS
jwt0625 · x · 2026-11-04
The author draws a parallel between imec's Neuropixels Opto neural probe and photonic interconnect/CPO process flows, arguing optogenetics teams now have better backend processes than many optical interconnect groups.
Key points:
- The probe continues the backend process directly on 130nm CMOS (no hybrid bonding), integrating optical switching trees and grating couplers, supporting dual wavelengths at 450nm and 638nm
- A single 10mm shank carries 960 recording electrodes (20μm pitch) and 14 dual-color emission sites (100μm pitch), with a monolithically integrated 384-channel readout IC
- A comparison table shows prior optoelectronic probes from Michigan, Columbia, and Berkeley lacked monolithic readout integration; the imec 2023 design leads sharply in electrode count and integration
- References: Lakunina 2026 "Neuropixels Opto" (Nature Methods) and Neutens 2023 on the dual-wavelength probe process
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