Ultra-flexible optoelectronic stimulator converts tissue-attenuated weak light into electrical signals for cardiac remodeling.
basic_science · Level V
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- Record sourced from PubMed, PMID 42443218.
- Also identified by DOI 10.1038/s41467-026-75495-7.
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Abstract
Precise spatiotemporal resolution and wireless multi-site modulation of excitable tissues via optoelectronics offers transformative potential for bioelectronic medicine, yet clinical translation is hindered by the rigidity of conventional silicon-based devices and their reduced performance under tissue-attenuated illumination, where the weak light reaching implants often fails to generate sufficient stimulation voltage. Here, we report an ultra-flexible, high-efficiency optoelectronic stimulator (OES) based on (Bi,Sb)<sub>2</sub>Se<sub>3</sub>, a semiconductor with crystal structure comprising parallel 1D chains that enable efficient flexibility and photocarrier transport. The OES achieves robust photoelectric conversion under near-infrared light intensities as low as 0.55 μW cm<sup>-2</sup>, reaching quantum efficiency of up to 89.60% while conforming seamlessly to soft tissues. In a rat model of myocardial infarction, the OES restored electrical conduction across infarcted regions and improved cardiac function under weak-light stimulation. Scalable fabrication yields large-area devices without loss of performance, as validated in a swine model. This work introduces a clinically translatable optoelectronic platform for soft-tissue modulation under low-power light, establishing a foundation for next-generation, minimally invasive cardiac repair technologies.