# US 12,178,398 B2 · Electronic assemblies including a conformal moisture barrier > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,178,398 B2 - Document ID: US12178398B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/203,418 - Filed: 2023-05-30 - Published: 2023-10-12 - Granted: 2024-12-31 - Earliest claimed: 2019-09-06 - Assignees: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Applicants: Intuitive Surgical Operations, Inc. - Inventors: Majeed A. Foad; John A Barton; Jonathan D. Halderman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12178398B2 ## CPC - A61B 1/00137: {End pieces at either end of the endoscope, e.g. caps, seals or forceps plugs} - A61B 1/00142: {with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath} - A61B 1/04: combined with photographic or television appliances - A61B 1/051: {Details of CCD assembly} - C23C 16/0245: {by etching with a plasma} - H05K 3/282: {for inhibiting the corrosion of the circuit, e.g. for preserving the solderability} - H05K 3/284: {for encapsulating mounted components (H05K1/185 takes precedence)} - A61L 2/18: Liquid substances - C23C 16/45555: {applied in non-semiconductor technology} - H05K 2203/095: Plasma, e.g. for treating a substrate to improve adhesion with a conductor or for cleaning holes - H05K 2203/1322: Encapsulation comprising more than one layer - A61B: DIAGNOSIS; SURGERY; IDENTIFICATION (usefulness limited to only animals A61D) - 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) - H05K: PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS - 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) ## Abstract A method includes forming, by atomic layer deposition, a first barrier layer on a surface of a printed circuit board (“PCB”) and on an outer surface of an electrical component attached to the surface of the PCB; forming an adhesion promotion layer on a surface of the first barrier layer; and forming, on the adhesion promotion layer, a second barrier layer including Parylene. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method comprising: forming, by atomic layer deposition, a first barrier layer on a surface of a printed circuit board (“PCB”) and on an outer surface of an electrical component attached to the surface of the PCB; forming an adhesion promotion layer on a surface of the first barrier layer; and forming, on the adhesion promotion layer, a second barrier layer comprising Parylene. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the forming the adhesion promotion layer comprises: functionalizing the surface of the first barrier layer with hydroxyl groups; and reacting an adhesion promoter with the hydroxyl groups. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the adhesion promoter comprises a silane coupling agent. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, wherein the functionalizing the surface of the first barrier layer with the hydroxyl groups comprises reacting water with the surface of the first barrier layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein: the first barrier layer and the adhesion promotion layer are formed within a reaction chamber; and the adhesion promoter and the water are injected into the reaction chamber simultaneously or in alternating pulses. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the adhesion promotion layer comprises methacryloxy groups at a surface of the adhesion promotion layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein the second barrier layer is formed by copolymerization of monomers of Parylene and the methacryloxy groups. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first barrier layer comprises at least one of an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, or a boride of a transition metal, aluminum, cerium, silicon, or boron. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first barrier layer comprises at least one of hafnium oxide, cerium oxide, hafnium silicate, or zirconium silicate. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising pre-cleaning the surface of the PCB with a plasma surface treatment prior to forming the first barrier layer. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein: the plasma surface treatment comprises cleaning the surface of the PCB with a gas mixture comprising argon (Ar) and oxygen (O2); and a concentration of the oxygen in the gas mixture is less than or equal to about 20%. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein ion energies in the plasma surface treatment range from about 10 eV to about 100 eV. ### Claim 13 An electronic assembly comprising: a printed circuit board (“PCB”); an electrical component attached to a surface of the PCB; and a conformal barrier disposed on at least a portion of the surface of the PCB and on an outer surface of the electrical component, the conformal barrier comprising: a first barrier layer comprising an atomic layer deposited (“ALD”) film; and a second barrier layer comprising Parylene and coupled with the first barrier layer by way of an adhesion promotion layer. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The electronic assembly of claim 13, wherein the adhesion promotion layer comprises a silane coupling. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The electronic assembly of claim 14, wherein the silane coupling comprises a methacryloxy silane. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The electronic assembly of claim 15, wherein the methacryloxy silane comprises methacryloxypropyl trimethoxysilane. ### Claim 17 (depends on 13) The electronic assembly of claim 13, wherein the ALD film comprises at least one of an oxide, a nitride, a carbide, or a boride of a transition metal, aluminum, cerium, silicon, or boron. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The electronic assembly of claim 13, wherein the ALD film comprises at least one of hafnium oxide, cerium oxide, hafnium silicate, or zirconium silicate. ### Claim 19 An imaging device comprising: a camera head comprising: a printed circuit board (“PCB”); electrical circuitry on the PCB and configured to receive and process captured image signals; and a conformal barrier disposed on at least a portion of the PCB and on the electrical circuitry, the conformal barrier comprising: a first barrier layer comprising an atomic layer deposited (“ALD”) film; and a second barrier layer comprising Parylene. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The imaging device of claim 19, wherein the first barrier layer is coupled with the second barrier layer by way of an adhesion promotion layer.