The effect of surface chemistry and structure of titanium nitride (TiN) films on primary hippocampal cells

Thin films of TiN were investigated as a candidate microelectrode material for multi-electrode arrays, which are used for recording from electrically active cells in culture. TiN films were deposited onto glass substrates by DC pulsed reactive magnetron sputtering. The structure, phase composition and surface chemistry were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The biocompatibility of the TiN films was examined morphologically by monitoring neuronal network formation and comparing this to a control substrate. Results indicate that neuronal cell adhesion and growth is influenced by the surface chemistry and associated crystal orientation of the TiN thin films.