• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2008

Retinal prosthesis is regarded as the most feasible method for the blind caused by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or age related macular degeneration (AMD). Recently Korean consortium launched for developing retinal prosthesis. One of the prerequisites for the success of retinal prosthesis is the optimization of the electrical stimuli applied through the prosthesis. Since electrical characteristics of degenerate retina are expected to differ from those of normal retina, we performed voltage stimulation experiment both in normal and degenerate retina to provide a guideline for the optimization of electrical stimulation for the upcoming prosthesis. After isolation of retina, retinal patch was attached with the ganglion cell side facing the surface of microelectrode arrays (MEA). $8{\times}8$ grid layout MEA (electrode diameter: $30{\mu}m$, electrode spacing: $200{\mu}m$, and impedance: $50k{\Omega}$ at 1 kHz) was used to record in-vitro retinal ganglion cell activity. Mono-polar electrical stimulation was applied through one of the 60 MEA channel, and the remaining channels were used for recording. The electrical stimulus was a constant voltage, charge-balanced biphasic, anodic-first square wave pulse without interphase delay, and 50 trains of pulse was applied with a period of 2 sec. Different electrical stimuli were applied. First, pulse amplitude was varied (voltage: $0.5{\sim}3.0V$). Second, pulse duration was varied $(100{\sim}1,200{\mu}s)$. Evoked responses were analyzed by PSTH from averaged data with 50 trials. Charge density was calculated with Ohm's and Coulomb's law. In normal retina, by varying the pulse amplitude from 0.5 to 3V with fixed duration of $500{\mu}s$, the threshold level for reliable ganglion cell response was found at 1.5V. The calculated threshold of charge density was $2.123mC/cm^2$. By varying the pulse duration from 100 to $1,200{\mu}s$ with fixed amplitude of 2V, the threshold level was found at $300{\mu}s$. The calculated threhold of charge density was $1.698mC/cm^2$. Even after the block of ON-pathway with L-(1)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB), electrical stimulus evoked ganglion cell activities. In this APB-induced degenerate retina, by varying the pulse duration from 100 to $1200{\mu}s$ with fixed voltage of 2 V, the threshold level was found at $300{\mu}s$, which is the same with normal retina. More experiment with APB-induced degenerate retina is needed to make a clear comparison of threshold of charge density between normal and degenerate retina.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2008

Retinal prosthesis is regarded as the most feasible method for the blind caused by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration. One of the prerequisites for the success of retinal prosthesis is the optimization of the electrical stimuli applied through the prosthesis. Since electrical characteristics of degenerate retina are expected to differ from those of normal retina, we investigated differences of the retinal waveforms in normal and degenerate retina to provide a guideline for the optimization of electrical stimulation for the upcoming prosthesis. After isolation of retina, retinal patch was attached with the ganglion cell side facing the surface of microelectrode arrays (MEA). $8{\times}8$ grid layout MEA (electrode diameter: $30{\mu}m$, electrode spacing: $200{\mu}m$, and impedance: 50 $k{\Omega}$ at 1 kHz) was used to record in-vitro retinal ganglion cell activity. In normal mice (C57BL/6J strain) of postnatal day 28, only short duration (<2 ms) retinal spikes were recorded. In rd/rd mice (C3H/HeJ strain), besides normal spikes, waveform with longer duration (~100 ms), the slow wave component was recorded. We attempted to understand the mechanism of this slow wave component in degenerate retina using various synaptic blockers. We suggest that stronger glutamatergic input from bipolar cell to the ganglion cell in rd/rd mouse than normal mouse contributes the most to this slow wave component. Out of many degenerative changes, we favor elimination of the inhibitory horizontal input to bipolar cells as a main contributor for a relatively stronger input from bipolar cell to ganglion cell in rd/rd mouse.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2012.02a
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• pp.321-322
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• 2012

의료용 방사선 장비는 초기의 아날로그 방식의 필름 및 카세트에서 진보되어 현재는 디지털 방식의 DR (Digital Radiography)이 널리 사용되며 그에 관한 연구개발이 활발히 진행되고 있다. DR은 크게 간접방식과 직접방식의 두 분류로 나눌 수 있는데, 간접방식은 X선을 흡수하면 가시광선으로 전환하는 형광체(Scintillator)를 사용하여 X선을 가시광선으로 전환하고, 이를 Photodiode와 같은 광소자로 전기적 신호로 변환하여 방사선을 검출하는 방식을 말하며, 직접 방식은 X선을 흡수하면 전기적 신호를 발생 시키는 광도전체(Photoconductor)를 사용하여 광도전체 양단 전극에 고전압을 인가한 형태를 취하고 있는 가운데, X선이 조사되면 일차적으로 광도전체 내부에서 전자-전공쌍(Electron-hole pair)이 생성된다. 이들은 광도전체 양단의 인가되어 있는 전기장에 의해 전자는 +극으로, 전공은 -극으로 이동하여 아래에 위치한 Active matrix array을 통해 방사선을 검출하는 방식이다. 본 연구에서는 직접방식 X-ray 검출기에서 활용되는 a-Se을 ITO (Indium Thin oxide) glass 상단에 Thermal evaporation증착을 이용하여 두께 $50{\mu}m$, 33 넓이로 증착 시킨 다음, a-Se상단에 Sputtering증착을 이용하여 ITO를 11 cm, 22 cm, $2.7{\times}2.7cm$ 넓이로 증착시켜 상하부의 ITO를 Electrode로 이용하여 직접방식의 X-ray검출기 샘플을 제작하였다. 제작 과정 중 a-Se의 Thermal evaporation증착 시, 저진공 $310^{-3}_{Torr}$, 고진공 $2.210^{-5}_{Torr}$에서 보트의 가열 온도를 두 번의 스텝으로 나누어 증착 시켰다. 첫 번째 스텝 $250^{\circ}C$, 두 번째 스텝은 $260^{\circ}C$의 조건으로 증착하여 보트 내의 a-Se을 남기지 않고 전량을 소모할 수 있었으며, 스텝간의 온도차를 $10^{\circ}C$로 제어하여 균일한 박막을 형성 할 수 있었다. Sputtering증착 시, 저진공 $2.510^{-3}$, 고진공 $310^{-5}$에서 Ar, $O_2$를 사용하여 100 Sec간 플라즈마를 생성시켜 ITO를 증착하였다. 제작된 방사선 각각의 검출기 샘플 양단의 ITO에 500V의 전압을 인가하고, 진단 방사선 범위의 70 kVp, 100 mA, 0.03 sec 조건으로 X-ray를 조사시켜 ITO넓이에 따른 민감도(Sensitivity)와 암전류(Dark current)를 측정하였다. 측정결과 민감도(Sensitivity)는 X-ray샘플의 두께에 따른 $1V/{\mu}m$ 기준 시, 증착된 ITO의 넓이가 11 cm부터 22 cm, $2.7{\times}2.7cm$까지 각각 $7.610nC/cm^2$, $8.169nC/cm^2$, $6.769nC/cm^2$로 22 cm 넓이의 샘플이 가장 높은 민감도를 나타내었으나, 암전류(Dark current)는 $1.68nA/cm^2$, $3.132nA/cm^2$, $5.117nA/cm^2$로 11 cm 넓이의 샘플이 가장 낮은 값을 나타내었다. 이러한 데이터를 SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio)로 합산 하였을 시 104.359 ($1{\times}1$), 60.376($2{\times}2$), 30.621 ($2.7{\times}2.7$)로 11 cm 샘플이 신호 대 별 가장 우수한 효율을 나타냄을 알 수 있었다. 따라서 ITO박막의 면적이 클수록 민감도는 우수하나 그에 따른 암전류의 증가로 효율이 떨어짐을 검증 할 수 있었으며, 이는 ITO면적이 넓어짐에 따른 저항의 증가로 암전류에 영향을 끼침을 할 수 있었다. 본 연구를 통해 a-Se의 ITO 박막 면적에 따른 전기적 특성을 검증할 수 있었다.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2009

In field surveys using the dipole-dipole electrical resistivity method, we often encounter negative apparent resistivity. The term 'negative apparent resistivity' refers to apparent resistivity values with the opposite sign to surrounding data in a pseudosection. Because these negative apparent resistivity values have been regarded as measurement errors, we have discarded the negative apparent resistivity data. Some people have even used negative apparent resistivity data in an inversion process, by taking absolute values of the data. Our field experiments lead us to believe that the main cause for negative apparent resistivity is neither measurement errors nor the influence of self potentials. Furthermore, we also believe that it is not caused by the effects of induced polarization. One possible cause for negative apparent resistivity is the subsurface geological structure. In this study, we provide some numerical examples showing that negative apparent resistivity can arise from geological structures. In numerical examples, we simulate field data using a 3D numerical modelling algorithm, and then extract 2D sections. Our numerical experiments demonstrate that the negative apparent resistivity can be caused by geological structures modelled by U-shaped and crescent-shaped conductive models. Negative apparent resistivity usually occurs when potentials increase with distance from the current electrodes. By plotting the voltage-electrode position curves, we could confirm that when the voltage curves intersect each other, negative apparent resistivity appears. These numerical examples suggest that when we observe negative apparent resistivity in field surveys, we should consider the possibility that the negative apparent resistivity has been caused by geological structure.