Field steerable electrical stimulation paddle, lead system, and medical device incorporating the same

A method of manufacturing an implantable electrode paddle configured to receive an electrical signal from a medical device and generate an electrical field to stimulate selected body tissue, the method comprising the step of:

• assembling an electrode array including a plurality of electrode groups, and a plurality of wires coupled to the electrode array, onto a first insulative substrate having a plurality of windows formed therethrough for transmitting the electrical field to the body tissue, and securing each electrode in a respective window with the electrodes in each group laterally spaced between about 0.1 mm and about 10 mm apart where a lateral spacing from closest edge to closest edge between two immediately adjacent electrodes of a first electrode group of the plurality is the same as the lateral spacing from closest edge to closest edge between two immediately adjacent electrodes of a second electrode group of the plurality that is longitudinally spaced from the first electrode group where electrodes of the first group that are closest to the second group are spaced from the electrodes of the second group that are closest to the first group by an amount larger than the lateral spacing.