Electrosurgical Instrument Having a Coated Electrode Utilizing an Atomic Layer Deposition Technique

• US 20100069904A1
• Filed: 09/15/2008
• Published: 03/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Covidien LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Tyco Healthcare Group LP (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Cunningham, James S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,303,582 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 606/48
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/14 Probes or electrodes therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/1445 at the distal end of a shaft, e.g. forceps or scissors at the end of a rigid rod
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 18/18 by applying electromagnetic radiation, e.g. microwaves radiation therapy A61N5/00
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2017/0088 ceramic
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00107 Coatings on the energy applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00345 Vascular system
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00404 Blood vessels other than those in or around the heart
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2018/00619 Welding

Abstract

An electrosurgical instrument includes a support member and an electrode. The electrode is disposed on the support member and has a coating disposed thereon. The coating includes a seed layer and an atomic-layer-deposition (“ALD”) layer. The ALD layer is hydrophobic or hydrophilic. The seed layer may be conductive or insulative.

Claims

1. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

at least one support member;

an electrode at least partially disposed on the at least one support member; and

a coating at least partially disposed on the electrode comprising a seed layer and an ALD layer, wherein the ALD layer is at least one of hydrophobic and hydrophilic.

2. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the seed layer is formed using atomic layer deposition.

3. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the seed layer is one of conductive and insulative.

4. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the seed layer and the ALD layer is a ceramic.

5. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the seed layer comprises Al₂O₃.

6. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 5, wherein the seed layer comprising Al₂O₃ is formed from a reaction of AlOH*+Al(CH₃)₃→

AlO—

Al(CH₃)*₂+CH₄ and an another reaction of AlCH*₃+H₂O AlOH*+CH₄.

7. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the ALD layer is formed using a precursor selected from the group consisting of a chlorosilanes precursor, a non-chlorinated hydrophobic precursor, an alkylaminosilane precursor, a chlorosilane precursor, a bis-alkylaminosilane precursor and a tris-alkylaminosilane precursor.

8. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the seed layer comprises at least one of titanium nitride, Zn₁₉Al₅O₂ and about 5% of titania-alumina-oxide.

9. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the ALD layer comprises about 90% titania.

10. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the seed layer and the ALD layer has surface hydroxyl groups and a precursor reacts with the hydroxyl groups to form the at least one of the seed layer and the ALD layer.

11. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 1, wherein the ALD layer is formed from Tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctylmethyl-bis(dimethylamino)silane (FOMB(DMAS)S, C₈F₁₃H₄(CH₃)Si(N(CH₂)₂)₂).

12. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

at least one support member;

an electrode at least partially disposed on the at least one support member; and

a coating at least partially disposed on the electrode comprising a conductive seed layer and a hydrophilic ALD layer.

13. An electrosurgical instrument, comprising:

at least one support member;

an electrode at least partially disposed on the at least one support member; and

a coating at least partially disposed on the electrode comprising an insulative seed layer and a hydrophobic ALD layer.

14. A method of coating, comprising:

providing an electrosurgical instrument, including;

at least one support member; and

an electrode at least partially disposed on the at least one support member;

coating the electrode with a seed layer; and

coating the seed layer with an ALD layer, wherein the ALD layer is at least one of hydrophobic and hydrophilic.

15. The method according to claim 14, further comprising:

applying a first precursor to the electrode;

applying a second precursor to the electrode, wherein the second precursor reacts with the first precursor to at least partially form the seed layer; and

applying a precursor to the seed layer forming the ALD layer.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the first precursor is trimethylaluminum (Al(CH₃)₃,TMA).

17. The method according to claim 15, wherein the second precursor is H₂O.

18. The method according to claim 15, wherein the precursor is Tridecafluoro-1,1,2,2-tetrahydrooctylmethyl-bis(dimethylamino)silane (FOMB(DMAS)S, C₈F₁₃H₄(CH₃)Si(N(CH₂)₂)₂).

19. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the seed layer comprises at least one of titanium nitride and about 5% of titania-alumina-oxide

20. The electrosurgical instrument according to claim 15, wherein the ALD layer comprises at least one of Zn₁₉Al₅O₂ and about 90% titania.