Combination catheter devices, methods, and systems

• US 20050121734A1
• Filed: 11/08/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/07/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Original Assignee: Cardiovascular Research Foundation, Georgia Tech Research Corporation (University System of Georgia)
• Inventors: Carlier, Stephane Guy, Degertekin, F. Levent
• Application Number:
  US10/983,886
• Publication Number:
  US 20050121734A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 257/414
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0215 by means inserted into the body catheters A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/12 in body cavities or body tracts, e.g. by using catheters catheters per se A61M25/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 8/445 Details of catheter construction
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0292 Electrostatic transducers, e.g. electret-type
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0644 using a single piezoelectric element B06B1/0688 takes precedence

Abstract

A combination catheter method, system, and device are provided having a capacitive-micromachined ultrasound transducer (“cMUT”) and a sensor fabricated on the same substrate. A substrate is provided, and various layers of materials are deposited onto the substrate and patterned to form a cMUT and one or more sensors. Other embodiments are also claimed and described.

Claims

1. A combination catheter device comprising:

a substrate having a first surface;

a first capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (cMUT) coupled to the first surface of the substrate; and

a first sensor coupled to the first surface of the substrate.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a pressure sensor.

3. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is a flow sensor.

5. The device of claim 1, wherein the first sensor is adapted to reflect light.

6. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate further comprises a first embedded integrated circuit coupled to the first cMUT.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein the substrate further comprises a second embedded integrated circuit coupled to the sensor.

8. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a silicon substrate adapted to enable an electrical signal to pass through said silicon substrate.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein the substrate is a transparent substrate adapted to enable a signal to pass through the transparent substrate.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the transparent substrate comprises sapphire.

4. The device of clam 1, wherein the first sensor is a chemical sensor.

11-28. -28. (canceled)

29. A method of fabricating a combination catheter comprising:

providing a substrate comprising a surface;

forming a cMUT on the surface of the substrate; and

forming a sensor on the surface of the substrate.

30. The method of claim 29 further comprising substantially simultaneously forming the cMUT and the sensor on the surface of the substrate.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of providing a substrate comprises providing a silicon substrate.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising coupling the cMUT to a first integrated circuit and coupling the sensor to a second integrated circuit, wherein the first and second integrated circuits are embedded in the silicon substrate.

33. The method of claim 31, wherein the steps of forming the cMUT and the sensor further comprise:

providing a first conductive layer on the surface of the silicon substrate;

depositing and patterning a sacrificial layer on at least a portion of the first conductive layer;

depositing and patterning a first membrane layer on the sacrificial layer;

depositing and patterning a second conductive layer on at least a portion of the first membrane layer;

depositing and patterning a second membrane layer on at least a portion of the second conductive layer; and

etching the sacrificial layer.

34. The method of claim 33 comprising disposing a first isolation layer between the surface of the substrate and the first conductive layer.

35. The method of claim 33 further comprising adjusting at least a portion of the second membrane layer to have a predetermined geometric configuration.

36. The method of claim 33 further comprising depositing and patterning a second isolation layer over at least a portion of the first conductive layer.

37. The method of claim 33 further comprising depositing and patterning a piezoresistive layer coupled to at least a portion of the first membrane layer.

38. The method of claim 33, wherein the step of providing a first conductive layer on the surface of the silicon substrate comprises doping the silicon substrate.

39-60. -60. (canceled)