Back to results
US 5,591,139 AGranted
IC-processed microneedles
AssigneeThe Regents of the University of California
InventorsLiwei Lin, Albert P. Pisano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An IC-processed microneedle including an interface region and shaft. A shell defines an enclosed channel to form the shaft. The shaft has ports to permit fluid movement therethrough. Microheaters, microdetectors and additional devices may also be fabricated on the microneedle.
Claims26
A microstructure, comprising:
- a substrate having an interface region and an elongated region extending from said interface region;
- and
- a shell connected with said substrate along said elongated region and at least a portion of said interface region;
- wherein said substrate and shell define a shaft having an enclosed channel.
1 more element
An microneedle, comprising:
- an interface region having an area of 2 to 3 millimeters square;
- and
- an elongated hollow shaft connected to and extending from said interface region for permitting movement of a fluid therethrough, said shaft having a length of between about 1 and 6 millimeters, said shaft having at a distal end width of about 50 micrometers or less and a height of about 9 micrometers or less.
A microstructure fabricated by a process comprising the steps of:
- providing a substrate for forming an interface region and an elongated portion extending away from said interface region, said substrate including a frontside and a backside;
- forming a patterned, non-planar etchable structure on the frontside of said elongated portion;
- depositing an unetchable membrane layer atop said etchable structure;
- opening at least one etching hole in said membrane layer;
- and
- etching said etchable structure by placing an etchant into said etching hole, said etchable structure being etched to a predetermined extent to form a cavity underneath said membrane layer, thereby producing a shaft formed from said membrane layer and said elongated portion of said substrate.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.