Iridium treatment of neuro-stimulating electrodes
First Claim
1. A method for electroplating iridium metal onto the surface of a metallic microelectrode for use in a biomedical prosthetic device, which method comprises:
- (a) placing the metallic microelectrode into an aqueous solution of iridium ion of between about 1 and 10 percent by weight iridium; and
(b) electroplating the microelectrode of step (a) using a current of between about 0.5 and 15 milliamperes wherein said current is controlled by a current controller.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Microelectrodes of the art are limited to the charge density which can pass through them. The present invention discloses a method for electroplating iridium metal onto the surface of a metallic microelectrode for use in a biomedical prosthetic device, which method comprises:
(a) placing the metallic microelectrode into an aqueous solution of iridium ion of between about 1 and 10 percent by weight; and
(b) electroplating the microelectrode of step (a) using a current of between about 0.5 and 15 milliamps wherein said current is controlled by a current controller. In another aspect the method discloses in step (b) the current is also biased and simultaneously applied in a mode wherein the current is equivalent to an impressed voltage of between about 1.5 and 6.0 volts positive.
In other aspects, the method also includes the following :A-after step (b): (c) conditioning the microelectrode after step (b) by heating at a temperature of between about ambient and 350° C.; B-after step (c): (c-1) optionally subjecting the iridium-coated microelectrode of step to ultrasonic energy in the range of between about 1 and 20,000 hertz for between about 0.1 and 10 minutes in a phosphate buffered saline solution; after step (c-1): (d) conditioning the microelectrode of step (c-1) by storage for between about 6 and 150 hrs. in a physiologically equivalent phosphate buffered saline solution selected under in vitro conditions; D-after step (c-1): (d-1) conditioning the microelectrode of step (b-1) by placing it in vivo and conducting the conditioning in the presence of minor amounts liquid selected from natural body fluids or added synthetic liquids; and E-after step (b): (e) conditioning the microelectrode between about positive 1 and negative 1 volts for between 100 and 10,000 millivolts per second, for between about 1 and 100 cycles to form at least one iridium oxide on the surface of the microelectrode. The invention also discloses the use of these microelectrodes in devices and in microelectrodes and in these devices used in the method of treatment of neurological diseases.
57 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A method for electroplating iridium metal onto the surface of a metallic microelectrode for use in a biomedical prosthetic device, which method comprises:
-
(a) placing the metallic microelectrode into an aqueous solution of iridium ion of between about 1 and 10 percent by weight iridium; and (b) electroplating the microelectrode of step (a) using a current of between about 0.5 and 15 milliamperes wherein said current is controlled by a current controller. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification