Neurolithography: Lithography as an enabling technology in neurology and neuroscience

Abstract

Modern lithography, which enables the fabrication of complex structures in biomedical devices with exceptional precision, is a potentially transformative force in the neural sciences. Techniques such as photolithography, electron beam lithography, and soft lithography have been utilized to produce devices that guide neuronal growth and differentiation and measure electrophysiological signals at the single-cell level. In the clinical sphere, lithography plays a role in the manufacturing of devices for deep brain stimulation, brain-computer interface, and neuroprosthetics. Here, we briefly review the applications of lithography in basic and translational neuroscience and clinical neurology, with an eye toward future advancement.