CO-FIRED HERMETICALLY SEALED FEEDTHROUGH WITH ALUMINA SUBSTRATEAND PLATINUM FILLED VIA FOR AN ACTIVE IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICE

• US 20130184797A1
• Filed: 01/16/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Greatbatch Limited (Greatbatch Incorporated)
• Inventors: Frysz, Christine A., Seitz, Keith W., Stevenson, Robert A., Brendel, Richard L., Marzano, Thomas, Woods, Jason, Frustaci, Dominick J., Winn, Steven W., Tang, Xiaohong, Thiebolt, William C.
• Granted Patent: US 8,653,384 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 607/116
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/05 for implantation or insertion into the body, e.g. heart electrode A61N1/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/08 Arrangements or circuits for monitoring, protecting, controlling or indicating for external stimulators A61N1/3603; for implantable neurostimulators A61N1/36128; for heart stimulators A61N1/37; for defibrillators A61N1/3925
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/372 Arrangements in connection with the implantation of stimulators
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/375 Constructional arrangements, e.g. casings
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/37512 Pacemakers
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/3754 Feedthroughs
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/3013 Au as the principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 29/12 based on oxides
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 2/103 Sealings, e.g. for lead-in wires; Covers
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/005 Electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/12 Ceramic dielectrics H01G4/085 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/30 Stacked capacitors H01G4/33 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/35 Feed-through capacitors or anti-noise capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H01G 4/40 Structural combinations of fixed capacitors with other electric elements, the structure mainly consisting of a capacitor, e.g. RC combinations
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 43/00 Apparatus or processes specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining, or repairing of line connectors or current collectors or for joining electric conductors of trolley lines B60M1/28
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/22 Installations of cables or lines through walls, floors or ceilings, e.g. into buildings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 156/1052 with cutting, punching, tearing or severing

Abstract

A co-fired hermetically sealed feedthrough is attachable to an active implantable medical device. The feedthrough comprises an alumina dielectric substrate comprising at least 96 or 99% alumina. A via hole is disposed through the alumina dielectric substrate from a body fluid side to a device side. A substantially closed pore, fritless and substantially pure platinum fill is disposed within the via hole forming a platinum filled via electrically conductive between the body fluid side and the device side. A hermetic seal is between the platinum fill and the alumina dielectric substrate, wherein the hermetic seal comprises a tortuous and mutually conformal interface between the alumina dielectric substrate and the platinum fill.

Claims

1. A hermetically sealed feedthrough that is attachable to an active implantable medical device, the feedthrough comprising:

a) an alumina substrate comprised of at least 96% alumina and having a thickness extending from a body fluid side to a device side;

b) a via hole disposed through the alumina substrate from the body fluid side to the device side;

c) a substantially closed pore and substantially pure platinum fill disposed within the via hole and extending between the body fluid side and the device side of the alumina substrate; and

d) a hermetic seal between the platinum fill and the alumina substrate,

e) wherein the platinum fill forms a tortuous and mutually conformal knitline or interface between the alumina substrate and the platinum fill.

2. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the alumina substrate comprises at least 99% alumina.

3. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the knitline comprises a glass that is at least about 60% silica.

4. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the hermetic seal has a leak rate at least no greater than 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> std cc He/sec.

5. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein an inherent shrink rate during a heat treatment of the alumina dielectric substrate in a green state is greater than that of the platinum fill in the green state.

6. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the platinum fill is characterized as having been formed from a platinum paste that prior to bake out and sintering had a platinum metal content of at least 80%.

7. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the platinum fill is characterized as having been formed from a platinum paste that prior to bake out and sintering had a platinum metal content of about 95%.

8. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the platinum fill is characterized as having been packed into the via prior to bake out and sintering to occupy at least 90% of available space in the via.

9. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the platinum fill is characterized as having been packed into the via prior to bake out and sintering to occupy about 99% of available space in the via.

10. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the alumina dielectric substrate is characterized as having shrunk from a green state about 20% to about 14% more than the platinum fill shrinks from a green state as a result of having been subjected to bake out and sintering.

11. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the alumina dielectric substrate is characterized as having shrunk from a green state about 16% more than the platinum fill shrinks from a green state as a result of having been subjected to bake out and sintering.

12. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein a difference in a first coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) of the alumina dielectric substrate and a second CTE of the platinum fill is from about 0.5×

10<sup>−

6</sup>/K to about 1.0×

10<sup>−

6</sup>/K.

13. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the platinum filled via comprises a larger cross sectional area at either a first via end exposed to the body fluid side or a second via end exposed to the device side as compared to a smaller cross sectional area of the platinum filled via between the first and second via ends.

14. The feedthrough of claim 1 including an electrically conductive cap or protrusion co-fired to the platinum fill on the body fluid side.

15. The feedthrough of claim 14 wherein the cap or protrusion comprises platinum or titanium.

16. The feedthrough of claim 1 including an adhesion metallization disposed on an outside circumferential surface of the alumina substrate.

17. The feedthrough of claim 16 including a wetting metallization disposed on the adhesion metallization.

18. The feedthrough of claim 17 including a ferrule disposed around the alumina substrate.

19. The feedthrough of claim 18 including a gold braze hermetically sealing the alumina substrate to the ferrule.

20. The feedthrough of claim 19 wherein the braze between the alumina substrate and the ferrule has a leak rate at least no greater than 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> std cc He/sec.

21. The feedthrough of claim 20 wherein the ferrule comprises titanium.

22. The feedthrough of claim 16 wherein the adhesion metallization comprises titanium.

23. The feedthrough of claim 17 wherein the wetting metallization comprises niobium or molybdenum.

24. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein the alumina dielectric substrate comprises a castellation recess disposed on the device side.

25. The feedthrough of claim 24 including a monolithic chip capacitor disposed within the castellation recess, the monolithic chip capacitor comprising an active electrode plate set disposed parallel to a ground electrode plate set.

26. The feedthrough of claim 25 wherein the active electrode plate set is electrically coupled to the platinum fill by a first circuit trace disposed within the alumina substrate, and wherein the ground electrode plate set is electrically coupled to the adhesion metallization by a second circuit trace disposed within the alumina substrate.

27. The feedthrough of claim 1 including a feedthrough capacitor attached to the alumina dielectric substrate.

28. The feedthrough of claim 27, including an insulative washer disposed between the alumina substrate and the feedthrough capacitor.

29. The feedthrough of claim 27 wherein the feedthrough capacitor comprises a second dielectric substrate, a conductive capacitor via hole disposed through the second dielectric substrate, a set of active electrode plates disposed within the second dielectric substrate and electrically coupled to the conductive capacitor via hole, an outside feedthrough capacitor metallization disposed on an outside of the feedthrough capacitor, and a set of ground electrode plates disposed within the second dielectric substrate and electrically coupled to the outside feedthrough capacitor metallization.

30. The feedthrough of claim 29 wherein the ground electrode plates and the outside feedthrough capacitor metallization are electrically coupled to a ferrule.

31. The feedthrough of claim 29 including a ball grid solder joint or braze electrically coupling the active electrode plates to the conductive capacitor via hole and the platinum fill.

32. The feedthrough of claim 31 including a device side wire disposed within the conductive feedthrough capacitor via and electrically coupled to the platinum fill and set of active electrode plates by the ball grid solder joint or braze.

33. The feedthrough of claim 1 including at least one grounded via disposed through the alumina substrate from the body fluid side to the device side, wherein a substantially pure grounded platinum fill is disposed within the at least one grounded via, thereby forming a platinum filled grounded via that is electrically conductive between the body fluid side and the device side.

34. The feedthrough of claim 33 including a set of feedthrough ground plates disposed within the alumina substrate electrically coupled to the platinum filled grounded via and the ferrule and in non-conductive relation to the platinum filled via.

35. The feedthrough of claim 34 including an internally grounded feedthrough capacitor adjacent to the alumina dielectric substrate.

36. The feedthrough of claim 35 wherein the internally grounded feedthrough capacitor comprises a second dielectric substrate, at least one conductive capacitor via hole disposed through the second dielectric substrate, a set of active electrode plates disposed within the second dielectric substrate and electrically coupled to the at least one conductive capacitor via hole, a conductive grounded via hole disposed through the second dielectric substrate, and a set of ground plates disposed within the second dielectric substrate and electrically coupled to the conductive grounded via hole.

37. The feedthrough of claim 36 including a leadwire connectable at a first end to an AIMD electronic circuit and at its second end disposed within and electrically coupled to the at least one conductive capacitor via and the active electrode plates.

38. The feedthrough of claim 37 including a ground leadwire connectable at a first end to an AIMD electronic circuit and at its second end disposed within and electrically coupled to the feedthrough capacitor conductive grounded via and the set of ground plates.

39. The feedthrough of claim 17 including a hermetically sealed braze between the wetting metallization and an active implantable medical device housing.

40. The feedthrough of claim 33 wherein the at least one grounded via and platinum fill comprise at least two cross sectional areas.

41. The feedthrough of claim 1 including a conductive leadwire disposed within the platinum fill on the body fluid side.

42. The feedthrough of claim 41 wherein the conductive leadwire comprises platinum.

43. The feedthrough of claim 41 wherein the conductive leadwire and the platinum fill are characterized as having been co-fired.

44. The feedthrough of claim 1 including a crimp post disposed within the platinum fill on the body fluid side.

45. The feedthrough of claim 1 including a double-sided crimp post disposed through the platinum fill, wherein the double-sided crimp post comprises a first crimp post end on the body fluid side and a second crimp post end on the device side.

58. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein a resistance of the platinum fill from the body fluid side to the device side is less than about 0.5 ohms.

59. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein a resistance of the platinum fill from the body fluid side to the device side is less than about 0.3 ohms.

60. The feedthrough of claim 1 wherein a resistance of the platinum fill from the body fluid side to the device side is less than about 10 milliohms.

46. A hermetically sealed feedthrough that is attachable to an active implantable medical device, the feedthrough comprising:

a) an alumina substrate comprised of at least 96% alumina and having a thickness extending from a body fluid side to a device side;

b) a via hole disposed through the alumina substrate from the body fluid side to the device side;

c) a substantially closed pore and substantially pure platinum fill disposed within the via hole and extending between the body fluid side and the device side of the alumina substrate; and

d) a hermetic seal between the platinum fill and the alumina substrate,

e) wherein the hermetic seal has a leak rate that is no greater than 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> std cc He/sec,

f) wherein the platinum fill forms a tortuous and mutually conformal knitline or interface between the alumina substrate and the platinum fill.

47. The feedthrough of claim 46 wherein the knitline comprises a glass that is at least about 60% silica.

48. The feedthrough of claim 46 wherein an inherent shrink rate during a heat treatment of the alumina substrate in a green state is equal to or up to 20% greater than an inherent co-fired shrink rate of the platinum fill in a green state.

49. A hermetically sealed feedthrough that is attachable to an active implantable medical device, the feedthrough comprising:

a) an alumina substrate comprised of at least 96% alumina and having a thickness extending from a body fluid side to a device side;

b) a via hole disposed through the alumina substrate from the body fluid side to the device side;

c) a first substantially closed pore and substantially pure platinum fill disposed within the via hole and extending between the body fluid side and the device side of the alumina substrate, wherein the platinum fill forms a tortuous and mutually conformal knitline or interface between the alumina substrate and the platinum fill; and

d) a hermetic seal between the first platinum fill and the alumina substrate, wherein the hermetic seal has a leak rate that is no greater than 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> std cc He/sec;

e) a grounded via hole disposed through the alumina substrate from the body fluid side to the device side;

f) a second substantially closed pore platinum fill disposed within the grounded via hole and extending between the body fluid side and the device side of the alumina substrate; and

g) a second hermetic seal between the second platinum fill and the alumina substrate, wherein the second hermetic seal has a leak rate that is no greater than 1×

10<sup>−

7</sup> std cc He/sec;

h) at least one grounded electrode plate electrically coupled to the second grounded platinum filled via and in non-conductive relation to the first platinum filled via; and

i) an outer metallization disposed on the alumina dielectric substrate and electrically connected to the plurality of grounded electrode plates.

50. The feedthrough of claim 49 wherein the knitline formed by the first platinum fill and the alumina dielectric substrate comprises a glass that is at least about 60% silica.

51. The feedthrough of claim 49 wherein an inherent shrink rate during a heat treatment of the alumina substrate in a green state is greater than a shrink rate of the first and second platinum fills in a green state.

52. A method of manufacturing a hermetically sealed feedthrough, comprising:

a) forming a dielectric substrate comprising at least 96 percent alumina;

b) forming at least one via hole extending through the dielectric substrate;

c) filling the at least one via hole with a conductive fill, the conductive fill including a platinum powder and an inactive organic binder, solvent or plasticizer;

d) placing the dielectric substrate and conductive fill into an air filled heating chamber;

e) heating the dielectric substrate and conductive fill to a temperature of from about 400°

C. to 700°

C. and holding that temperature for a period of time that is sufficient for the inactive organic binder, solvent and plasticizer to be substantially baked out of the platinum fill;

heating the dielectric substrate and platinum fill to a temperature of about 1,400°

C. to about 1,900°

C. and holding that temperature for a period of time sufficient for the conductive fill to hermetically seal to the dielectric substrate forming a monolithic structure; and

g) cooling the heating chamber.

53. The method of claim 52 including forming a knitline between the platinum paste and the alumina dielectric substrate comprising a glass that is at least about 60% silica.

54. The method of claim 52 including heating the dielectric substrate for a minimum of 4 hours.

55. The method of claim 52 including laminating a plurality of alumina sheets to form the alumina dielectric substrate.

56. The method of claim 55 including forming a via hole through a thickness of the alumina dielectric substrate.

57. The method of claim 52 including pressing an alumina powder or laminating a plurality of alumina sheets to form the alumina substrate and forming a via hole through a thickness of the alumina substrate.