Miniaturized implantable electrochemical sensor devices

• US 10,376,146 B2
• Filed: 02/06/2014
• Issued: 08/13/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Original Assignee: California Institute of Technology
• Inventors: Mujeeb-U-Rahman, Muhammad, Scherer, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Weston, Tiffany
• Application Number:
  US14/174,827
• Publication Number:
  US 20140228660A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,014 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2560/0219 of externally powered implanted units
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0209 Special features of electrodes classified in A61B5/24, A61B5/25, A61B5/283, A61B5/291, A61B5/296, A61B5/053
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/028 Microscale sensors, e.g. electromechanical sensors [MEMS]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/04 Arrangements of multiple sensors of the same type
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0026 characterised by the transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0031 Implanted circuitry
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14532 for measuring glucose, e.g. by tissue impedance measurement
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/1473 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter A61B5/1482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/14865 invasive, e.g. introduced into the body by a catheter or needle or using implanted sensors

Abstract

An implantable device having a communication system, a sensor, and a monolithic substrate is described. The monolithic substrate has an integrated sensor circuit configured to process input from the sensor into a form conveyable by the communication system.

Claims

1. An implantable device comprising:

a communication system;

a sensor; and

a monolithic substrate comprising an integrated sensor circuit configured to process input from the sensor into a form conveyable by the communication system, and an integrated power supply configured to receive energy from an external source,

wherein;

the communication system is located on a first face of the monolithic substrate and the sensor is located on a second face of the monolithic substrate, the first face being on an opposite side of the monolithic substrate from the second face,

the monolithic substrate comprises a plurality of holes configured to allow fluid flow from the first face of the monolithic substrate to the second face of the monolithic substrate after implantation of the implantable device,

the sensor comprises at least one working electrode, at least one reference electrode, and at least one counter electrode,

the at least one working electrode, the at least one reference electrode, and the at least one counter electrode are high surface area electrodes, each comprising pillars,

the sensor is an integrated sensor and the monolithic substrate further comprises the integrated sensor, and

the communication system comprises a laser.

2. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the monolithic substrate has a height less than 200 microns and a length and width of less than 500 microns.

3. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the communication system comprises a modulator, an output driver, and a transmission system.

4. The implantable device of claim 3, wherein the modulator comprises a control circuit and a pulse width modulator.

5. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the at least one working electrode comprises at least two working electrodes.

6. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a photovoltaic power supply.

7. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the monolithic substrate is a CMOS die.

8. The implantable device of claim 1, further comprising at least one interconnect electrically connecting the sensor to the communication system, through the monolithic substrate.

9. The implantable device of claim 8, wherein the at least one interconnect is cylindrical.

10. The implantable device of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a glucose sensor.

11. A system comprising the implantable device according to claim 1 and an external device, the external device comprising:

a power source;

a power transmitter;

a processor connected to the power transmitter and the power source, the processor configured to pulse power to the implantable device by activating the power transmitter only for an interval of time; and

a detector that receives information from the communication system of the implantable device.

12. The system according to claim 11 further comprising a communication link to transmit information from the implantable device and operably linked to the detector either directly or through the processor.

13. The system according to claim 11 further comprising a display operably connected to the processor.

14. The system according to claim 11 wherein the detector comprises a detector array.

15. The system according to claim 11 wherein the external device is a consumer electronics device.