# US 10,864,096 B2 · Three-dimensional thin-film nitinol devices

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- Number: US 10,864,096 B2
- Document ID: US10864096B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/298,758
- Filed: 2019-03-11
- Published: 2019-07-04
- Granted: 2020-12-15
- Earliest claimed: 2013-10-23
- Assignees: Monarch Biosciences, Inc.
- Applicants: Monarch Biosciences, Inc.
- Inventors: Alfred David Johnson; Colin Kealey
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10864096B2

## CPC

- A61F 2/90: characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
- A61F 2/844: folded prior to deployment
- A61F 2/86: Stents in a form characterised by the wire-like elements; Stents in the form characterised by a net-like or mesh-like structure
- A61L 31/088: {Other specific inorganic materials not covered by A61L31/084 or A61L31/086}
- C23C 14/0005: {Separation of the coating from the substrate}
- C23C 14/042: {using masks}
- C23C 14/165: {by cathodic sputtering}
- C23C 14/34: Sputtering
- C23C 14/5846: {Reactive treatment}
- A61F 2/06: Blood vessels
- A61F 2002/068: {Modifying the blood flow model, e.g. by diffuser or deflector}
- A61F 2002/823: {Stents, different from stent-grafts, adapted to cover an aneurysm}
- A61F 2210/0014: using shape memory or superelastic materials, e.g. nitinol
- A61F 2210/0076: multilayered, e.g. laminated structures
- A61F 2230/0017: Angular shapes
- A61F 2230/0069: cylindrical
- A61F 2240/001: Designing or manufacturing processes
- B81C 1/00476: {removing a sacrificial layer (B81C1/00912 takes precedence)}
- C23F 1/44: Compositions for etching metallic material from a metallic material substrate of different composition
- A61F: FILTERS IMPLANTABLE INTO BLOOD VESSELS; PROSTHESES; DEVICES PROVIDING PATENCY TO, OR PREVENTING COLLAPSING OF, TUBULAR STRUCTURES OF THE BODY, e.g. STENTS; ORTHOPAEDIC, NURSING OR CONTRACEPTIVE DEVICES; FOMENTATION; TREATMENT OR PROTECTION OF EYES OR EARS; BANDAGES, DRESSINGS OR ABSORBENT PADS; FIRST-AID KITS (dental prosthetics A61C)
- A61L: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR STERILISING MATERIALS OR OBJECTS IN GENERAL; DISINFECTION, STERILISATION OR DEODORISATION OF AIR; CHEMICAL ASPECTS OF BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES; MATERIALS FOR BANDAGES, DRESSINGS, ABSORBENT PADS OR SURGICAL ARTICLES (preservation of bodies or disinfecting characterised by the agents employed A01N; preserving, e.g. sterilising, food or foodstuffs A23; preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes A61K)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)
- B81C: PROCESSES OR APPARATUS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF MICROSTRUCTURAL DEVICES OR SYSTEMS (making microcapsules or microballoons B01J13/02; processes or apparatus specially adapted for the manufacture or treatment of piezoelectric, electrostrictive or magnetostrictive elements per se H10N30/01)
- C23F: NON-MECHANICAL REMOVAL OF METALLIC MATERIAL FROM SURFACE (working metal by laser beams B23K26/00; desurfacing by applying flames B23K7/00; working of metal by electro-erosion B23H; producing decorative effects by removing surface material, e.g. by engraving, by etching, B44C1/22; electrolytic etching or polishing C25F); INHIBITING CORROSION OF METALLIC MATERIAL OR INCRUSTATION IN GENERAL; MULTI-STEP PROCESSES FOR SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL INVOLVING AT LEAST ONE PROCESS PROVIDED FOR IN CLASS C23 AND AT LEAST ONE PROCESS COVERED BY SUBCLASS C21D OR C22F OR CLASS C25

## Abstract

A method of manufacturing three-dimensional thin-film nitinol (NiTi) devices includes: depositing multiple layers of nitinol and sacrificial material on a substrate. A three-dimensional thin-film nitinol device may include a first layer of nitinol and a second layer of nitinol bonded to the first layer at an area masked and not covered by the sacrificial material during deposition of the second layer.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method comprising:
deep reactive ion etching a pattern of grooves on a surface of a semiconductor substrate, the grooves corresponding to fenestrations in a desired three-dimensional nitinol structure;
depositing a lift-off layer on the grooved semiconductor substrate surface;
depositing a first NiTi layer over the lift-off layer;
depositing a sacrificial layer through a shadow mask to partially cover the first NiTi layer, the sacrificial layer corresponding to a lumen in the desired three-dimensional nitinol structure;
sputter depositing an aluminum bonding layer onto the first NiTi layer through a reverse mask prior to deposition of a second NiTi layer, the reverse mask being approximately a reverse image of the shadow mask; and
depositing the second NiTi layer over the sacrificial layer and the aluminum bonding layer.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
removing the lift-off layer and the sacrificial layer so that the first and second NiTi layers are separated from the semiconductor substrate and so that the lumen is formed in the resulting three-dimensional nitinol structure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the lift-off layer comprises depositing a copper or chromium lift-off layer.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein depositing the sacrificial layer comprises depositing a chromium sacrificial layer.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising heating the aluminum bonding layer so that the aluminum bonding layer bonds the first NiTi layer to the second NiTi layer.

### Claim 6 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising inserting a mandrel into the lumen of the three-dimensional nitinol structure, and heating the three-dimensional nitinol structure while it is on the mandrel to crystallize the first and second nitinol layers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The method of claim 6, wherein the three-dimensional nitinol structure is a flow diverter stent cover, the method further comprising covering a flow diverter stent with the flow diverter stent cover.