Electrode array longevity
AssigneePrecision Neuroscience Corporation
InventorsStephanie RIDER, Mark Hettick
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and system for protecting electrode arrays while implanted on a brain including a flexible electrode array including non-penetrating cortical surface microelectrodes, a ceramic layer covering the electrode array and a polymer layer adjacent the ceramic layer, wherein the ceramic layer and the polymer layer hermetically seal the electrode array. The ceramic layer can be configured to exhibit sufficient flexibility to allow the electrode array to be implanted using minimally invasive surgical techniques, while still hermetically sealing the electrode array from a biological environment.
Claims19
A neural interface, comprising:
- a flexible electrode array comprising non-penetrating cortical surface microelectrodes;
- at least one ceramic layer covering the electrode array, the at least one ceramic layer comprising a thickness from about 50 nm to about 1000 nm and a refractive index from about 1.55 to about 1.78;
- and
- at least one polymer layer adhered to the at least one ceramic layer, the at least one polymer layer covering at least a portion of the at least one ceramic layer;
- wherein the at least one ceramic layer and the at least one polymer layer seal the electrode array,
- wherein the at least one polymer layer comprises a polymer comprising at least one of polyimide, parylene, and liquid crystal polymer, and
- wherein the at least one ceramic layer is comprised of silicon oxynitride or silicon carbide.
(canceled)
A method of insulating a neural interface, the method comprising:
- providing a polymer electrode array substrate in a deposition chamber;
- setting a temperature of the deposition chamber to between about 50° C. and about 250° C.;
- depositing a first ceramic layer onto the polymer electrode array substrate, wherein the first ceramic layer has a deposited thickness of between about 50 nm and about 1000 nm, and wherein the first ceramic layer has a refractive index from about 1.55 to about 1.78;
- patterning a metal layer onto the first ceramic layer, the metal layer comprising non-penetrating cortical surface microelectrodes;
- depositing a second ceramic layer onto the metal layer, wherein the second ceramic layer is substantially similar to the first ceramic layer;
- and
- adhering a polymer layer to at least the second ceramic layer, the at least one polymer layer covering at least a portion of the at least one ceramic layer,
- wherein the at least one polymer layer comprises a polymer comprising at least one of polyimide, parylene, and liquid crystal polymer, and
- wherein the first ceramic layer and the second ceramic layer comprise at least one of silicon oxynitride or silicon carbide.
13-14. (canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.