Methods for forming an electrode device with reduced impedance
First Claim
1. A neural interface system, which comprises:
- a) a substrate;
b) at least one first electrically conductive metallization extending from a first metallization lower surface supported on the substrate to a first metallization upper surface, wherein the first metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a first perimeter providing a first metallization height; and
c) at least one second electrically conductive metallization different than the first metallization, the second metallization extending from a second metallization lower surface supported on the first metallization upper surface to a second metallization upper surface, wherein the second metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a second perimeter providing a second metallization height,d) wherein the first metallization has a first cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its first upper surface meets the first perimeter, and the second metallization has a second cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its second lower surface meets the second perimeter, and wherein the first width of the first metallization is greater than the second width of the second metallization to thereby provide an exposed portion of the first metallization upper surface adjacent to the second perimeter of the second metallization, ande) wherein the substrate supporting the first and second metallizations is configured as an electrode contactable with body tissue.
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Abstract
Improved low-cost, highly reliable methods for increasing the electrochemical surface area of neural electrodes are described. A mono-layer of polymeric nanospheres is first deposited on a metallization supported on a dielectric substrate. The nanospheres self-assemble into generally repeating lattice forms with interstitial space between them. Then, the geometric surface area of the metallization material is increased by either selectively etching part-way into its depth at the interstitial space between adjacent nanospheres. Another technique is to deposit addition metallization material into the interstitial space. The result is undulation surface features provided on the exposed surface of the metallization. This helps improve the electrochemical surface area when the treated metallizations are fabricated into electrodes.
27 Citations
29 Claims
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1. A neural interface system, which comprises:
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a) a substrate; b) at least one first electrically conductive metallization extending from a first metallization lower surface supported on the substrate to a first metallization upper surface, wherein the first metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a first perimeter providing a first metallization height; and c) at least one second electrically conductive metallization different than the first metallization, the second metallization extending from a second metallization lower surface supported on the first metallization upper surface to a second metallization upper surface, wherein the second metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a second perimeter providing a second metallization height, d) wherein the first metallization has a first cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its first upper surface meets the first perimeter, and the second metallization has a second cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its second lower surface meets the second perimeter, and wherein the first width of the first metallization is greater than the second width of the second metallization to thereby provide an exposed portion of the first metallization upper surface adjacent to the second perimeter of the second metallization, and e) wherein the substrate supporting the first and second metallizations is configured as an electrode contactable with body tissue. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 19, 20)
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10. A method for providing a neural interface system, comprising the steps of:
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a) providing a substrate; b) depositing at least one first electrically conductive metallization supported on the substrate, the first metallization extending from a first metallization lower surface supported on the substrate to a first metallization upper surface, wherein the first metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a first perimeter providing a first metallization height; c) depositing a second electrically conductive metallization different than the first metallization, the second metallization extending from a second metallization lower surface supported on the first metallization upper surface to a second metallization upper surface, wherein the second metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a second perimeter providing a second metallization height; d) etching at least the second metallization to thereby provide the first metallization having a first cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its first upper surface meets the first perimeter, and the second metallization having a second cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its second lower surface meets the second perimeter, and wherein etching results in the first width of the first metallization being greater than the second width of the second metallization to thereby provide an exposed portion of the first metallization upper surface adjacent to the second perimeter of the second metallization; and e) configuring the substrate supporting the first and second metallizations as an electrode contactable with body tissue. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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21. A neural interface system, which comprises:
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a) a substrate; b) a first electrically conductive metallization of a less etchable material than gold and extending from a first metallization lower surface supported on the substrate to a first metallization upper surface, wherein the first metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a first perimeter providing a first metallization height; c) a second, gold metallization extending from a second metallization lower surface supported on the first metallization upper surface to a second metallization upper surface, wherein the second metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a second perimeter providing a second metallization height; d) a third electrically conductive metallization of a less etchable material than gold and extending from a third metallization lower surface supported on the second metallization upper surface to a third metallization upper surface, wherein the third metallization lower and upper surfaces are spaced from each other by a third perimeter providing a third metallization height; e) wherein the first metallization has a first cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its first upper surface meets the first perimeter, and the second metallization has a second cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its second lower surface meets the second perimeter, and wherein the first width of the first metallization is greater than the second width of the second metallization to thereby provide an exposed portion of the first metallization upper surface adjacent to the second perimeter of the second metallization, and f) wherein the second metallization has a third cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its second upper surface meets the second perimeter, and the third metallization has a fourth cross-sectional width at spaced locations where its third lower surface meets the third perimeter, and wherein the third width of the second metallization is less than the fourth width of the third metallization to thereby provide an undercut portion of the third metallization lower surface adjacent to the second perimeter of the second metallization, and g) wherein the substrate supporting the first, second and third metallizations is configured as an electrode contactable with body tissue. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification