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US 11,019,734 B1Granted
Methods and systems for fabricating miniaturized nanotube sensors
AssigneeTula Health, Inc.
InventorsRobert Davis, Nick Morrill, David Miller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method, system, apparatus, and/or device to creating a set of miniaturized electrode pillars. The method, system, apparatus, and/or device may include patterning a set of miniaturized electrode pillars on a substrate and coating the set of miniaturized electrode pillars with an interstitial filler disposed between the set of miniaturized electrode pillars. The interstitial filler may insulate the set of miniaturized electrode pillars from each other and bolster the set of miniaturized electrode pillars.
Claims14
A method, comprising:
- patterning a conductive material on a substrate to form a conductor pattern;
- depositing a medial insulating material on the conductive material;
- patterning a nanotube growth catalyst material on the medial insulating material, a catalyst pattern aligned with the conductor pattern formed of the conductive material;
- growing an electrode on the nanotube growth catalyst material, the electrode aligned with a section of the catalyst pattern;
- applying a hydrophilic treatment, the hydrophilic treatment configured to render the electrode hydrophilic;
- coating the electrode with an interstitial filler, wherein a top surface of the electrode remains exposed from the interstitial filler;
- cross-linking the interstitial filler to render the interstitial filler solvent-resistant;
- and
- scoring or dicing the substrate or the medial insulating material, wherein the substrate, the conductive material, the medial insulating material, the nanotube growth catalyst material, the electrode, and the interstitial filler comprise an impedance sensor.
6 more elements
A method, comprising:
- patterning a thin film conductive layer on a sensor substrate to form a conductive layer pattern, wherein:
- the sensor substrate comprises a base insulating layer configured to prevent infiltration of a material into the sensor substrate;
- and
- the thin film conductive layer is deposited on the base insulating layer;
- depositing a thin film medial insulating layer on the thin film conductive layer;
- patterning a thin film catalyst layer on the thin film medial insulating layer to form a catalyst layer pattern, the catalyst layer pattern being aligned with the conductive layer pattern;
- growing a nanotube electrode on the thin film catalyst layer, the nanotube electrode being aligned with a section of the catalyst layer pattern;
- infiltrating the nanotube electrode with a bolstering material to bolster nanotubes of the nanotube miniaturized electrode;
- applying a hydrophilic treatment to render the nanotube electrode hydrophilic;
- coating the nanotube electrode with an interstitial filler to:
- electrically insulate the nanotube electrode;
- and
- bolster the nanotube electrode;
- removing a top portion of the interstitial filler to expose a top surface of the nanotube electrode;
- cross-linking the interstitial filler to render the interstitial filler solvent-resistant;
- inducing reflow of the interstitial filler by increasing a temperature of the interstitial filler from a first temperature at which the interstitial filler is solid to a second temperature for melting point of the interstitial filler, the temperature increasing to the melting point in 1 minute to 2 minutes, 2 minutes to 5 minutes, or 5 minutes to 10 minutes;
- scoring or dicing the sensor substrate, the thin film medial insulating layer, or the interstitial filler;
- releasing the sensor substrate or the base insulating layer from one or more sensor layers, wherein the one or more sensor layers comprises the thin film conductive layer, the thin film medial insulating layer, the thin film catalyst layer, the nanotube electrode, or the interstitial filler;
- and
- integrating the one or more sensor layers into a band of a wearable device, wherein the one or more sensor layers form an impedance sensor.
17 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.