Microminiature patterned metal on medical grade balloons

A method of forming a balloon with a metal pattern thereon for a medical grade device to be deployed within a human body, the method comprising:

• providing a balloon formed from flexible polymer tubing between a proximal tubing portion and a distal tubing portion, each of the proximal and distal tubing portions having a tubing outer diameter and a tubing wall thickness, the balloon having a balloon outer diameter of no greater than 50 mm and which is at least 1.5 times the tubing outer diameter, the balloon having a balloon wall thickness which is thinner than the tubing wall thickness, so as to be stretchable radially outward when pressure is increased inside the balloon relative to outside the balloon, and
• depositing a patterned metal layer on the balloon by physical vapor deposition through a stencil mask without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, the patterned metal layer covering less than two thirds of the balloon and having a metal layer thickness of no greater than about 4 µm, and inflating the balloon within the stencil mask during the physical vapor deposition of the metal layer;
• wherein a proximal portion of the stencil mask is secured in a collet in a vacuum chamber during the physical vapor deposition, the collet serving as a heat sink for the stencil mask, with the stencil mask being formed of metal, and with the entirety of the stencil mask having a continuous conduction path to the proximal portion.

A method of forming a balloon with a metal pattern thereon for a medical grade device to be deployed within a human body, the method comprising:

• providing a balloon formed from flexible polymer tubing between a proximal tubing portion and a distal tubing portion, each of the proximal and distal tubing portions having a tubing outer diameter and a tubing wall thickness, the balloon having a balloon outer diameter of no greater than 50 mm and which is at least 1.5 times the tubing outer diameter, the balloon having a balloon wall thickness which is thinner than the tubing wall thickness, so as to be stretchable radially outward when pressure is increased inside the balloon relative to outside the balloon, and
• depositing a patterned metal layer on the balloon by physical vapor deposition through a stencil mask without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, the patterned metal layer covering less than two thirds of the balloon and having a metal layer thickness of no greater than about 4 µm, and inflating the balloon within the stencil mask during the physical vapor deposition of the metal layer, wherein the inflating of the balloon is performed using a mandrel shaft;
• wherein the physical vapor deposition is performed in a vacuum chamber, wherein the mandrel shaft is formed of metal, and wherein the mandrel shaft defines at least a portion of a heat conduction path to outside the vacuum chamber.

A method of forming a balloon with a metal pattern thereon for a medical grade device to be deployed within a human body, the method comprising:

• providing a balloon formed from flexible polymer tubing between a proximal tubing portion and a distal tubing portion, each of the proximal and distal tubing portions having a tubing outer diameter and a tubing wall thickness, the balloon having a balloon outer diameter of no greater than 50 mm and which is at least 1.5 times the tubing outer diameter, the balloon having a balloon wall thickness which is thinner than the tubing wall thickness, so as to be stretchable radially outward when pressure is increased inside the balloon relative to outside the balloon;
• inflating the balloon within a stencil mask, the stencil mask being rigid relative to the balloon;
• and
• depositing a patterned metal layer on the balloon by physical vapor deposition through the stencil mask while the balloon is inflated within the stencil mask without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, the patterned metal layer covering less than two thirds of the balloon and having a metal layer thickness of no greater than about 4 µm;
• wherein the inflating of the balloon is achieved with fluid flow within the balloon during the physical vapor deposition.

A method of forming a balloon with a metal pattern thereon for a medical grade device to be deployed within a human body, the method comprising:

• providing a balloon formed from flexible polymer tubing between a proximal tubing portion and a distal tubing portion, each of the proximal and distal tubing portions having a tubing outer diameter and a tubing wall thickness, the balloon having a balloon outer diameter of no greater than 50 mm and which is at least 1.5 times the tubing outer diameter, the balloon having a balloon wall thickness which is thinner than the tubing wall thickness, so as to be stretchable radially outward when pressure is increased inside the balloon relative to outside the balloon;
• and
• depositing a patterned metal layer on the balloon by physical vapor deposition through the stencil mask without deforming or degrading the polymer material of the balloon, the patterned metal layer covering less than two thirds of the balloon and having a metal layer thickness of no greater than about 4 µm;
• and
• prior to depositing the patterned metal layer on the balloon, cooling the balloon within the stencil mask to below ambient temperature.