Optical stimulation device

• US 10,159,419 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IMEC International, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven
• Original Assignee: IMEC International, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven KU Leuven R&D
• Inventors: Hoffman, Luis Diego Leon, Braeken, Dries, Musa, Silke
• Primary Examiner(s): Layno, Carl H
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pahakis, Manolis
• Application Number:
  US14/289,876
• Publication Number:
  US 20140356892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,671 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/164 the sensor is mounted in or on a conformable substrate or carrier
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/166 the sensor is mounted on a specially adapted printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/40 Detecting, measuring or recording for evaluating the nervous system A61B5/4806, A61B5/4821, A61B5/4824 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/4064 Evaluating the brain A61B5/031, A61B5/369, A61B5/14553 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6868 Brain
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0529 Electrodes for brain stimulation
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0632 Constructional aspects of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 2005/0643 Applicators, probes irradiating specific body areas in close proximity
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0601 Apparatus for use inside the body
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 5/0622 Optical stimulation for exciting neural tissue
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/5091 for testing the pathological state of an organism

Abstract

In an aspect of the disclosure, a stimulation device includes a probe attached to a first support. The probe includes at least one grating coupler for coupling light into the probe. The device further includes at least one optical source for providing an optical stimulation signal mounted on a second support, and at least one means for detachably attaching the first support to the second support. The position of the at least one optical source is aligned with the position of the at least one grating coupler to allow light emitted from the at least one optical source to be received by the at least one grating coupler.

Claims

1. A partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device comprising:

a first support including a processor;

a second support, the first support and the second support configured to be placed outside a skull of a patient;

a probe attached to the first support, the probe configured to be partially implanted in a brain of the patient, the probe comprising;

an array of grating couplers for coupling optical stimulation signals into the probe;

a silicon substrate;

an interconnection layer atop the silicon substrate and under the array of grating couplers;

at least one bondpad;

at least one electrode electrically connected to the at least one bondpad via the interconnection layer; and

an array of optical stimulation sites optically connected to the array of grating couplers via the interconnection layer, wherein the optical stimulation sites are arranged to stimulate particular neural areas;

an array of optical sources for providing the optical stimulation signals, wherein the array of optical sources is mounted to the second support;

an interface fitting made from thermally insulating material and located in between the first support and the second support,

wherein the interface fitting comprises an array of through-holes aligned;

on one side of the interface fitting with the array of grating couplers; and

on another side of the interface fitting with the array of optical sources; and

at least one means for detachably attaching the first support to the second support,

wherein the first support is attached to the second support by the means for detachably attaching the first support to the second support.

2. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 1, wherein the probe further comprises:

a head mounted to the first support;

a tip; and

a shaft comprising;

the at least one electrode that is electrically connected to the at least one bondpad via the interconnection layer; and

the array of optical stimulation sites that is optically connected to the array of grating couplers,

wherein the array of grating couplers is mounted to the head, and wherein the head comprises at least one bondpad electrically connected to the at least one electrode.

3. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 1, further comprising an electrical connector connected to the at least one bondpad via bond wires, wherein the electrical connector is configured to provide signals from biological cells sensed by the at least one electrode to an external registration device that receives, records, and processes the signals.

4. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 2, wherein the first support comprises an electrical connector that is electrically connected to the at least one bondpad.

5. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 4, wherein the second support comprises an optical connector electrically connected to the array of optical sources for powering or controlling the array of optical sources.

6. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 5, wherein the at least one means for detachably attaching the first support to the second support comprises a bolt and a nut.

7. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 5, wherein at least one of the first support or the second support comprises at least one guiding means for aligning the array of grating couplers with the array of optical sources.

8. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 5, wherein the interface fitting comprises a cut-out for providing space for bond wires on the first support.

9. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 8, further comprising a gasket fitting located in between the first support and the second support, wherein the gasket fitting includes at least one through-hole aligned:

on one side of the gasket fitting with one of the array of grating couplers; and

on another side of the gasket fitting with one of the array of optical sources.

10. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 9, wherein the probe is glued to the first support.

11. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 10, wherein each of the first support, the second support, and the interface fitting is a printed circuit board.

12. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 11, wherein the gasket fitting is fabricated from an elastic material.

13. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 12, wherein the array of optical sources comprises a light-emitting diode (LED).

14. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to pre-process data sensed by the at least one electrode.

15. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 7,

wherein the at least one guiding means comprises one or more posts,

wherein the one or more posts are positioned on the first support or the second support, and

wherein the one or more posts are fabricated from metal.

16. The partially implantable optical, neural stimulation device according to claim 5,

wherein the thermally insulating material comprises a thermally insulating polymer composite material, and

wherein the thermally insulating polymer composite material isolates the probe from heat generated by the array of optical sources.