Method for bonding a hermetic module to an electrode array

• US 9,984,994 B2
• Filed: 02/14/2017
• Issued: 05/29/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Incorporated
• Inventors: Sriram, Tirunelveli, Smith, Brian, Mclaughlin, Bryan, Lachapelle, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Donghai D
• Application Number:
  US15/432,559
• Publication Number:
  US 20170154867A1
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 29831, 29846, 29850, 29852, 174259, 174262
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/24 Detecting, measuring or recording bioelectric or biomagnetic signals of the body or parts thereof
• 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 1/0543 Retinal electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61N 1/0551 Spinal or peripheral nerve electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/05599 Material
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/45169 Platinum (Pt) as principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/4811 Connecting to a bonding area of the semiconductor or solid-state body located at the far end of the body with respect to the bonding area outside the semiconductor or solid-state body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48496 not being interposed between the wire connector and the bonding area
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83007 involving a permanent auxiliary member being left in the finished device, e.g. aids for holding or protecting the layer connector during or after the bonding process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83345 Shape, e.g. interlocking features
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83365 Shape, e.g. interlocking features
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83385 Shape, e.g. interlocking features
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/83986 Specific sequence of steps, e.g. repetition of manufacturing steps, time sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85 using a wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85007 involving a permanent auxiliary member being left in the finished device, e.g. aids for holding or protecting the wire connector during or after the bonding process
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85345 Shape, e.g. interlocking features
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85385 Shape, e.g. interlocking features
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/85986 Specific sequence of steps, e.g. repetition of manufacturing steps, time sequence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/13 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/147 : Semiconductor insulating substrates semiconductor conductive substrates H01L23/4926
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/3107 : the device being completely enclosed
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/49827 : Via connections through the substrates, e.g. pins going through the substrate, coaxial cables H01L23/49822, H01L23/49833, H01L23/4985, H01L23/49861 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 23/4985 : Flexible insulating substrates H01L23/49572 and H01L23/49855 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/45 : of an individual wire connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/83 : using a layer connector
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 24/85 : using a wire connector wire bonding in general B23K20/004
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/065 : the devices being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0657 : Stacked arrangements of devices
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/50 : Multistep manufacturing processes of assemblies consisting of devices, each device being of a type provided for in group H01L27/00 or H01L29/00 H01L21/50 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 : Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0001 : Technical content checked by a classifier
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 : the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 : Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/07802 : not being an ohmic electrical conductor
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/12042 : LASER
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/19107 : off-chip wires

Abstract

A method for bonding a hermetic module to an electrode array including the steps of: providing the electrode array having a flexible substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface and including a plurality of pads in the top surface of the substrate; attaching the hermetic module to the bottom surface of the electrode array, the hermetic module having a plurality of bond-pads wherein each bond-pad is adjacent to the bottom surface of the electrode array and aligns with a respective pad; drill holes through each pad to the corresponding bond-pad; filling each hole with biocompatible conductive ink; forming a rivet on the biocompatible conductive ink over each pad; and overmolding the electrode array with a moisture barrier material.

Claims

1. A method for attaching a lead wire to a module frame, the module frame including at least one module pad, the method comprising:

drilling a hole adjacent the at least one module pad of the module frame;

feeding an electrode wire through the drilled hole;

securing the electrode wire in place within the drilled hole;

connecting the at least one module pad to the drilled hole and the electrode wire; and

overmolding the module frame.

2. The method of claim 1, further including securing the electrode wire by wrapping the electrode wire back onto itself and welding the electrode wire.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the electrode wire is a Platinum wire.

4. The method of claim 1, further including connecting the at least one module pad to the drilled hole and the electrode wire by applying a printed conductive ink trace.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising filling the drilled hole with epoxy to obtain structural integrity.

6. The method of claim 5, further including applying the epoxy is applied in a mushroom topology using an ink-jet or aerojet process.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the module frame includes a plurality of module pads and a plurality of corresponding holes with a feedthrough density greater than 2/mm².

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

forming another module assembly according to claim 1;

stacking the module assemblies; and

providing a connective via between the two stacked modules.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the module frame is a hermetic module frame and further including:

providing an electrode array having a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the at least one module pad is in the top surface of the substrate;

attaching the hermetic module to the bottom surface of the electrode array, the hermetic module having at least one bond-pad, the bond-pad being adjacent to the bottom surface of the electrode array and aligning with the at least one module pad;

drilling a first hole through the at least one module pad to the at least one bond-pad;

filling the first hole with biocompatible conductive ink;

forming a rivet on the biocompatible conductive ink over the at least one module pad;

drilling a second hole in the electrode array and hermetic module adjacent the at least one module pad;

feeding an electrode wire through the second hole;

securing the wire in place within the second hole;

connecting the at least one module pad to the hole and thereby the wire; and

overmolding the electrode array and hermetic module.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further including combining the electrode array and the hermetic module to form a medically implantable electronics module.