Low polarization coatings for implantable electrodes
AssigneeGreatbatch-Hittman, Inc.
InventorRobert C. O'Brien
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Abstract
Coatings for implantable electrodes such as pacing electrodes, neurostimulator electrodes, and electroporating electrodes and sensing electrodes are described. The coatings are highly biocompatible, having low polarization. They consist of a biocompatible, conductive substrate, such as of sintered platinum/10% iridium; a thin film outer layer of biocompatible, conductive carbon; and a biocompatible, conductive intermediate layer having a high surface area. The intermediate layer is preferably of sputtered titanium nitride and increases the surface area of the carbonaceous outer layer.
Claims17
An implantable electrode, which comprises:
- a) a substrate;
- b) a biocompatible and electrically conductive intermediate coating supported on the substrate to provide the electrode with a relatively high surface area;
- and
- c) a carbon-containing coating comprising amorphous carbon having a random carbonaceous structure with no covalent bonding and devoid of any crystalline structure having covalent bonding in three dimensions and that conforms to the surface area of the intermediate coating.
An implantable electrode, which comprises:
- a) a substrate comprising platinum and iridium;
- b) a biocompatible and electrically conductive intermediate coating comprising titanium nitride or diamond doped with boron supported on the substrate to provide the electrode with a relatively high surface area;
- and
- c) an amorphous carbon-containing coating having a random carbonaceous structure with no covalent bonding and devoid of any crystalline structure having covalent bonding in three dimensions and that conforms to the surface area of the intermediate coating.
A method for providing an implantable electrode, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a substrate comprising tantalum, titanium, zirconium, niobium, platinum, and iridium;
- b) coating an intermediate layer selected from the group consisting of carbon, boron, titanium, tantalum, niobium, zirconium, titanium nitride, titanium carbide, titanium carbonitride, tantalum nitride, tantalum carbide, tantalum carbonitride, niobium carbide, niobium nitride, niobium carbonitride, zirconium oxide, zirconium nitride, zirconium carbide, titanium dioxide doped with niobium, diamond doped with boron, and mixtures thereof on the substrate to provide the electrode with a relatively high surface area;
- c) sputtering a carbon-containing coating comprising amorphous carbon having a random carbonaceous structure with no covalent bonding that conforms to the surface area of the intermediate layer;
- and
- d) utilizing the coated substrate as an implantable electrode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.