SENSOR SUBSTRATE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20110248184A1
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Published: 10/13/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Original Assignee: Medtronic Minimed Incorporated (Medtronic Plc)
• Inventors: Shah, Rajiv
• Granted Patent: US 8,795,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/458.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14552 Details of sensors specially adapted therefor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14556 by fluorescence A61B5/14555 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1459 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1464 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 21/6428 Measuring fluorescence of fluorescent products of reactions or of fluorochrome labelled reactive substances, e.g. measuring quenching effects, using measuring "optrodes" in vivo A61B5/00; immunoassay G01N33/53
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/14 Heterocyclic carbon compound [i.e. , O, S, N, Se, Te, as only ring hetero atom]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 436/144444 Glucose

Abstract

A sensing apparatus may include a substrate having a first side for a sensing element and a second side for electronics, the substrate may have a at least one via from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate, the at least one via may be hermetically sealed with an optically transmissive material.

Claims

1. A sensing apparatus comprising:

a substrate having a first side for a sensing element and a second side for electronics; and

the substrate having at least one via from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate;

wherein the at least one via is hermetically sealed from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate; and

wherein the at least one via is at least partially filled with an optically transmissive material.

2. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the optically transmissive material comprises a fitted glass material.

3. The sensing apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fitted glass material comprises at least one of quartz and silica.

4. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one via is at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material.

5. The sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the optically transmissive material is concentrically arranged with respect to the electrically conductive material.

6. The sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises a fritless ink.

7. The sensing apparatus of claim 4, wherein the electrically conductive material comprises an indium tin oxide.

8. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is made of a material comprising ceramic.

9. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one via comprises a plurality of vias.

10. The sensing apparatus of claim 9,

wherein at least one of the plurality of vias is at least partially filled with an optically transmissive material;

and

wherein at least one other of the plurality of vias is at least partially filled with an electrically conductive material.

11. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein the substrate is annealed.

12. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, wherein each via that is at least partially filled with the optically transmissive material is polished.

13. The sensing apparatus of claim 1, the sensing apparatus comprising:

the sensing element, the sensing element for sensing an analyte

14. The sensing apparatus of claim 13, the sensing element for sensing a fluorescence resonance energy transfer of the analyte.

15. The sensing apparatus of claim 13, the sensing apparatus comprising:

the electronics, the electronics comprises an illumination device for illuminating the analyte.

16. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the illumination device comprises at least one of a light emitting device, a vertical cavity surface emitting laser, and an edge emitting laser.

17. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, wherein the illumination device is arranged to illuminate the analyte through the at least one via in the substrate.

18. The sensing apparatus of claim 15, the electronics comprising a sensor for measuring a returned fluorescence from the sensing element.

19. The sensing apparatus of claim 18, wherein the sensor is arranged to sense the returned fluorescence from the sensing element through the at least one via in the substrate.

20. A method of manufacturing a sensing apparatus, the method comprising:

providing a substrate having a first side for a sensing element and a second side for electronics;

forming a at least one via from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate; and

filling the at least one via at least partially with an optically transmissive material such that the at least one via is hermetically sealed from the first side of the substrate to the second side of the substrate.

21. The method of claim 20, the method comprising:

arranging at least one of optical emitting device and a receiving device on the second side of the substrate to pass light through the at least one via to the first side of the substrate; and

arranging an optically detectable material that is reactive in an optically detectable manner on the first side of the substrate to receive light from the optical emitting device and is optically detectable through the at least one via by the receiving device.