Biocompatible bonding method and electronics package suitable for implantation

• US 10,159,845 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2015
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cortigent Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Second Sight Medical Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Greenberg, Robert J., Mann, Alfred E., Zhou, Dao Min, Talbot, Neil, Ok, Jerry, Nolan, Gailland R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tejani, Ankit D
• Application Number:
  US14/941,311
• Publication Number:
  US 20160158559A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,138 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/36046 of the eye
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3758 Packaging of the components within the casing
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0306 Inorganic insulating substrates, e.g. ceramic, glass
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/09127 PCB or component having an integral separable or breakable part
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/1028 Thin metal strips as connectors or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10287 Metal wires as connectors or conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10295 Metallic connector elements partly mounted in a hole of the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10977 Encapsulated connections applying non-metallic protective coatings for encapsulating mounted components H05K3/284
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/0733 Method for plating stud vias, i.e. massive vias formed by plating the bottom of a hole without plating on the walls
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2203/1446 Treatment after insertion of lead into hole, e.g. bending, cutting, caulking or curing of adhesive but excluding soldering
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/321 by conductive adhesives
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/328 by welding
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/361 Assembling flexible printed circuits with other printed circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4015 using auxiliary conductive elements, e.g. pieces of metal foil, metallic spheres
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/423 characterised by electroplating method
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4652 Adding a circuit layer by laminating a metal foil or a preformed metal foil pattern H05K3/4647 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/4691 Rigid-flexible multilayer circuits comprising rigid and flexible layers, e.g. having in the bending regions only flexible layers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49155 Manufacturing circuit on or in base

Abstract

The invention is directed to a method of bonding a hermetically sealed electronics package to an electrode or a flexible circuit and the resulting electronics package that is suitable for implantation in living tissue, for a retinal or cortical electrode array to enable restoration of sight to certain non-sighted individuals. The hermetically sealed electronics package is directly bonded to the flex circuit or electrode by electroplating a biocompatible material, such as platinum or gold, effectively forming a plated rivet-shaped connection, which bonds the flex circuit to the electronics package. The resulting electronic device is biocompatible and is suitable for long-term implantation in living tissue.

Claims

1. An implantable electronic device comprising:

a hermetic electronics control unit having a flat ceramic substrate including a plurality of conductive vias of frit containing platinum passing through the ceramic substrate, each via having a contact on an outside surface of the ceramic substrate;

a plurality of first portions of electrically conductive adhesive including electrically conductive biocompatible particulate bonded to each of the contacts;

a plurality of second portions of electrically conductive adhesive including electrically conductive biocompatible particulate bonded to the plurality of first portions of electrically conductive adhesive;

a flexible circuit including a polymer base layer, metal trace layer, and polymer top layer, the metal trace layer including a plurality of bond pads, the plurality of bond pads bonded to the plurality of second portions of electrically conductive adhesive, electrodes suitable to stimulate neural tissue, and traces connecting the bond pads to the electrodes; and

underfill filling remaining gaps between the hermetic package and the flexible circuit;

wherein the plurality of contacts are on a common planar outside surface of the ceramic substrate and the plurality of bond pads are aligned with the contacts.

2. The implantable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said hermetic electronics control unit is an integrated circuit.

3. The implantable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said hermetic electronics control unit is a hybrid circuit.

4. The implantable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive adhesive is comprised of platinum metal flake.

5. The implantable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive adhesive is comprised of epoxy or polyimide containing electrically conductive particulate of a biocompatible metal.

6. The implantable electronic device according to claim 5, wherein said biocompatible metal is comprised of platinum, iridium, titanium, platinum alloys, iridium alloys, or titanium alloys.

7. The implantable electronic device according to claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive adhesive is comprised of silicone.