US 6,295,986 B1 · Reactive ion etching method of fabricating nozzles for aerosolized delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic agents

Abstract

A method for producing a nozzle useful in generating a fine aerosol for delivery of a therapeutic or diagnostic agent is provided. The method comprises treating a thin, preferably flexible material having partially formed nozzles with a plasma which alters the size and shape of the nozzles. The pores in the nozzles so formed preferably have an unflexed exit aperture diameter in the range of about 0.5 to about 25 microns, depending on the size of the aerosol particles desired for a given application. The pores in the nozzles can have a variety of shapes and can be distributed in a variety of patterns. An elevated area can be formed around the exit aperture of the nozzle in order to prevent intrusion of liquid back into the nozzle. A method of producing an aerosolization device incorporating such a nozzle is also provided.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A method of producing a porous membrane, comprising the steps of:

directing laser energy onto an entrance surface of a flexible membrane and continuing to direct the energy until the laser has created a plurality of pores in the membrane, thereby forming a membrane comprising a plurality of partially formed pores;
exposing the membrane comprising partially formed pores to a reactive plasma, thereby creating plasma-etched pores, wherein the plasma-etched pores are positioned at a distance of about 30 to about 70 micrometers apart, and modified pore density is at least about 100 pores per square millimeter.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Reactive ion etching method of fabricating nozzles for aerosolized delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic agents

Life of this patent

Reactive ion etching method of fabricating nozzles for aerosolized delivery of therapeutic or diagnostic agents

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims16