Flexible implantable electrode arrangement and production method
AssigneeAlbert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg
InventorsThomas Stieglitz, Calogero Gueli, Maria Vomero, Swati Sharma
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Abstract
A flexible implantable electrode arrangement includes an electrically insulating carrier structure of a first polymer material, an electrically conductive layer, and an electrically insulating cover layer of a second polymer material. The electrically conductive layer includes an electrically conductive carbon fiber layer. The electrically conductive layer integrally forms an implantable electrode, a conductor track connected to the implantable electrode, and a contact pad. The electrically insulating cover layer at least partially covers the electrically conductive layer.
Claims17
A flexible implantable electrode arrangement, comprising:
- an electrically insulating carrier structure comprising a first polymer material;
- an electrically conductive layer comprising an electrically conductive carbon fiber layer, the electrically conductive layer integrally forms an implantable electrode, a conductor track connected to the implantable electrode, and a contact pad, the electrically conductive carbon fiber layer is a structured mat made from a woven fabric, knitted fabric, or non-woven fabric, the structured mat is structured to remove a plurality of portions of the electrically conductive carbon fiber layer to form the implantable electrode, the conductor track, and the contact pad in a single piece of the electrically conductive carbon fiber layer with no interface between the implantable electrode and the conductor track;
- and
- an electrically insulating cover layer comprising a second polymer material, the electrically insulating cover layer at least partially covering the electrically conductive layer.
A method for producing an implantable electrode arrangement, comprising:
- providing an electrically insulating carrier structure comprising a first polymer material;
- applying an electrically conductive layer comprising an electrically conductive carbon fiber layer on the electrically insulating carrier structure, the electrically conductive layer integrally forms an implantable electrode, a conductor track connected to the implantable electrode, and a contact pad, the electrically conductive carbon fiber layer is a carbon fiber mat made from a woven fabric, knitted fabric, or non-woven fabric;
- structuring the carbon fiber mat into a structured mat by removing a plurality of portions of the electrically conductive carbon fiber layer to form the implantable electrode, the conductor track, and the contact pad in a single piece of the electrically conductive carbon fiber layer with no interface between the implantable electrode and the conductor track;
- and
- applying an electrically insulating cover layer to at least partially cover the electrically conductive layer, the electrically insulating cover layer comprises a second polymer material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.