Microelectrode and assembly for parallel recording of neurol groups
First Claim
1. A microelectrode having a plurality of electrode recording sites suitable for monitoring electrical activity generated by biological tissue in vivo comprising:
- a fine length of insulated foil substrate having a Young'"'"'s modulus of elasticity of at least 30×
106 psi;
a plurality of electrical leads on a face of the length of insulated substrate, each terminated by a potential sensing element formed on the face of the substrate to form a recording site, at least about 15 potential sensing elements being spaced by less than 200 μ
m in at least one linear array along a length of the foil substrate of the microelectrode; and
an upper insulating layer over each lead but not over the terminating potential-sensing element, the volume of the length of the insulated foil substrate supporting the potential sensing elements being less than about 3×
105 μ
m3 per sensing element.
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Abstract
A multi-microelectrode has a plurality of sensing elements formed in a linear array along a face of a metal foil substrate. The foil substrate is sufficiently rigid and tough to have a very small volume along a needle length yet support the array of sensing elements and their leads. The preferred substrate materials are tungsten and molybdenum. The leads are insulated from the substrate and from the surrounding environment. A multi-microelectrode is supported in a microelectrode assembly by a connector which includes a guide channel on a support plate. Electrical contacts which may be conformable to the microelectrode are located in the guide channel, and the microelectrode is clamped against those contacts.
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Citations
15 Claims
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1. A microelectrode having a plurality of electrode recording sites suitable for monitoring electrical activity generated by biological tissue in vivo comprising:
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a fine length of insulated foil substrate having a Young'"'"'s modulus of elasticity of at least 30×
106 psi;a plurality of electrical leads on a face of the length of insulated substrate, each terminated by a potential sensing element formed on the face of the substrate to form a recording site, at least about 15 potential sensing elements being spaced by less than 200 μ
m in at least one linear array along a length of the foil substrate of the microelectrode; andan upper insulating layer over each lead but not over the terminating potential-sensing element, the volume of the length of the insulated foil substrate supporting the potential sensing elements being less than about 3×
105 μ
m3 per sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A microelectrode assembly for monitoring electrical activity generated by biological tissue in vivo comprising:
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a connector including a microelectrode guide channel on a support plate, electrical contacts located in the guide channel, and clamping means for clamping a microelectrode in the guide channel against the contacts; and a microelectrode clamped in the guide channel by the clamping means including a fine length of insulated foil substrate having a Young'"'"'s modulus of elasticity of at least 30×
106 psi supporting a plurality of electrical leads and potential sensing elements on a face thereof said leads being electrically coupled at one end to said sensing elements and at another end to said contacts, at least about 15 potential sensing elements being spaced by less than 200 μ
m in at least one linear array along a length of the foil substrate of the microelectrode and the volume of the length of the insulated foil substrate supporting the potential sensing elements being less than about 3×
105 μ
m3 per sensing element. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9)
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10. A microelectrode connector for supporting and providing electrical connection to a microelectrode which comprises an elongated foil substrate, at least 15 electrode recording sites on the foil substrate, and at least 15 electrical leads extending along the foil substrate from respective recording sites, the connector comprising:
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a support plate; a microelectrode guide channel at an end of the support plate, the guide channel being shaped and sized to abut an extended length of the sides of and the end of the base of said microelectrode; electrical contacts located in the guide channel and spaced along the length thereof at positions corresponding to the electrical leads on the microelectrode; and clamping means for clamping the microelectrode in the guide channel with the microelectrode leads clamped against the contacts. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification