Through theoretical calculations, we show spontaneous giant and wide-spectrum photocurrents of tellurium nanowire networks to be correlated with the asymmetry of nanowire lattice internal defects and external interfacial effects. Through a combination of narrow bandgaps, strong absorption, and engineered asymmetries, tellurium optoelectronic nanodevices showed record-high photocurrents and the widest spectrum of responsive photosensitivity wavelengths compared with reported techniques for the restoration of photosensitivity in blindness, covering the visible to near-infrared–II range. Preimplantation tests confirmed the stability of the nanoprosthesis’s optoelectronic properties and its precise response to light patterns. In blind mice, the implanted nanoprosthesis replaced damaged photoreceptors and triggered responses in both the optic nerve and visual cortex. Implanted mice showed better light-induced pupil reactions and improvement in light-associated learning behaviors (such as water reward–based visual-cue associative learning and choice-box tasks) when compared with untreated mice and when using light intensities nearly 80 times weaker than the clinical safety threshold. The biocompatibility and efficacy of the proposed nanoprosthesis was further demonstrated in nonhuman primates (Macaca fascicularis), where the nanoprosthesis was tightly bound to the retina in the subretinal space and generated robust retina-derived responses to visible and infrared light.
Our study provides biologically feasible parameters for a retinal prosthesis using designed tellurium nanowire networks. These nanowires naturally convert light into photocurrent signals with zero electrical bias and can cover the visible to infrared spectrum. The tested nanoprosthesis generates strong photocurrents to activate the remaining retinal circuitry in a dysfunctional eye, works through a simple subretinal implantation procedure, and avoids bulky intra- and extraocular components. In blind mice, this retinal nanoprosthesis restored the brain’s response to light and improved vision-based behaviors at clinically safe light levels. Nonhuman primates implanted with this nanoprosthesis gained infrared vision without impairment of normal vision. This successful animal study paves the way for future human trials, showcasing the potential of this prosthesis to restore visible vision and expand augmented infrared perception for blind humans and offer a safer, more effective, and wider-spectrum solution than existing technologies.
Present vision restoration technologies have substantial constraints that limit their application in the clinical setting. In this work, we fabricated a subretinal nanoprosthesis using tellurium nanowire networks (TeNWNs) that converts light of both the visible and near-infrared–II spectra into electrical signals. The broad-spectrum coverage is made possible by a combination of narrow bandgaps, strong absorption, and engineered asymmetries. Implanted into blind mice, the TeNWNs restored pupillary reflexes and enabled visually cued learning under visible and near-infrared 1550-nanometer light. In nonhuman primates, TeNWNs elicited robust retina-derived neural responses, confirming biocompatibility and feasibility. By restoring lost photosensitivity and extending vision to near-infrared, this nanoprosthesis offers a promising approach for restoring vision.
