Biomedical electrode
AssigneePulse Technologies, Inc.
InventorANDREW E. FISK
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A biocompatible, implantable electrode for electrically active medical devices. The implantable medical electrode has a surface geometry which optimizes the electrical performance of the electrode, while mitigating the undesirable effects associated with prior art porous surfaces. The electrode has an optimized surface topography for improved electrical performance. Such a electrode is suitable for devices which may be permanently implanted in the human body as stimulation electrodes, such as pacemakers, or as sensors of medical conditions. Such is achieved by the application of ultrafast high energy pulses to the surface of a solid, monolithic electrode material for the purpose of increasing the surface area and thereby decreasing its after-potential polarization.
Claims20
An electrode comprising a solid, monolithic substrate having an outer peripheral surface;
- the outer peripheral surface having a topography defined by a plurality of discrete macro protrusions distributed about and extending outwardly from the outer peripheral surface, the macro protrusions having a width in the range of from about 0.15 μm to about 50 μm;
- a plurality of discrete micro protrusions distributed on and extending outwardly from the macro protrusions, the micro protrusions having a width ranging from about 0.15 μm to about 5 μm;
- and a plurality of discrete nano protrusions distributed on and extending outwardly from the micro protrusions, the nano protrusions having a width ranging from about 0.01 μm to about 1 μm.
A method for producing an electrode comprising a solid, monolithic substrate having an outer peripheral surface;
- the outer peripheral surface having a topography defined by a plurality of discrete macro protrusions distributed about and extending outwardly from the outer peripheral surface, the macro protrusions having a width in the range of from about 0.15 μm to about 50 μm;
- a plurality of discrete micro protrusions distributed on and extending outwardly from the macro protrusions, the micro protrusions having a width ranging from about 0.15 μm to about 5 μm;
- and a plurality of discrete nano protrusions distributed on and extending outwardly from the micro protrusions, the nano protrusions having a width ranging from about 0.01 μm to about 1 μm;
- the method comprising exposing a solid, monolithic substrate to pulses of laser irradiation having a laser spot diameter ranging from about 1 μm to about 1000 μm, wherein the number of pulses of laser irradiation per spot, ranges from about 10 to about 1500 pulses, the pulse wavelength ranges from about 200 nm to about 1500 nm, the pulse width ranges from about 1 femtosecond to about 5 picoseconds;
- at a irradiance of from about 200 watts/cm2 to about 5000 watts/cm2.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.