Patent application number | Description | Published |
20080265423 | LAYERED STRUCTURE FOR CORROSION RESISTANT INTERCONNECT CONTACTS - The present invention is directed to an interconnect for an implantable medical device. The interconnect includes a first conductive layer, a second conductive layer introduced over the first conductive layer, and a third conductive layer introduced over the second conductive layer. One of the first conductive layer, the second conductive layer, and the third conductive layer comprises titanium-niobium (Ti—Nb). | 10-30-2008 |
20090308169 | PRESSURE SENSOR CONFIGURATIONS FOR IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL ELECTRICAL LEADS - An implantable pressure sensor, which may be incorporated within an implantable medical electrical lead, includes an insulative sidewall, which contains a gap capacitor and an integrated circuit. The insulative sidewall of the pressure sensor includes a pressure sensitive diaphragm portion, and the gap capacitor includes a first electrode plate, which is attached to an interior surface of the diaphragm portion of the sidewall, and a second electrode plate, which is spaced apart from the first electrode plate and coupled to the integrated circuit, which is coupled, through the sidewall, to a supply contact and a ground contact. A conductive layer extends over one of the interior surface of the diaphragm portion of the sidewall and an exterior surface of the diaphragm portion; and the conductive layer is coupled to the ground contact to either shield or ground the first electrode plate. | 12-17-2009 |
20100314149 | HERMETICALLY-SEALED ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT APPARATUS - Hermetically-sealed electrical circuit apparatus and methods for constructing such apparatus using one or more seal portions. | 12-16-2010 |
20100315110 | HERMETICITY TESTING - Electrical circuit apparatus and methods including hermeticity testing structures for testing the hermeticity of the electrical circuit apparatus. | 12-16-2010 |
20110270099 | HERMETIC WAFER-TO-WAFER BONDING WITH ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTION - An implantable medical device (IMD) is disclosed. The IMD includes a first substrate having a front side and a backside. A first via is formed in the front side, the via extending from a bottom point in the front side to a first height located at a surface of the front side. A first conductive pad is formed in the first via, the first conductive pad having an exposed top surface lower than first height. A second substrate is coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate having a second via formed in the front side, the via extending from a bottom point in the front side to a second height located at a surface of the front side. A second conductive pad is formed in the second via, the second conductive pad having an exposed top surface lower than second height. The coupled substrates are heated until a portion of one or both conductive pads reflow, dewet, agglomerate, and merge to form an interconnect, hermetic seal, or both depending on the requirements of the device. | 11-03-2011 |
20110270341 | HERMETIC WAFER-TO-WAFER BONDING WITH ELECTRICAL INTERCONNECTION - An implantable medical device (IMD) is disclosed. The IMD includes a first substrate having a front side and a backside. A first via is formed in the front side, the via extending from a bottom point in the front side to a first height located at a surface of the front side. A first conductive pad is formed in the first via, the first conductive pad having an exposed top surface lower than first height. A second substrate is coupled to the first substrate, the second substrate having a second via formed in the front side, the via extending from a bottom point in the front side to a second height located at a surface of the front side. A second conductive pad is formed in the second via, the second conductive pad having an exposed top surface lower than second height. The coupled substrates are heated until a portion of one or both conductive pads reflow, dewet, agglomerate, and merge to form an interconnect, hermetic seal, or both depending on the requirements of the device. | 11-03-2011 |
20120100318 | LASER ASSISTED DIRECT BONDING - Techniques are described for directly bonding different substrates together. In some examples, a technique includes placing a first surface of a first substrate in contact with a second surface of a second substrate to directly bond the first substrate to the second substrate at a contact location. The contact location is defined where at least a portion of the first surface of the first substrate contacts at least a portion of the second surface of the second substrate. The technique may also include directing a laser beam on at least a portion of the contact location to strengthen the direct bond between the first substrate and the second substrate. In this manner, a direct bond may be heated with localized laser energy to strengthen the direct bond. Localized laser energy may create a strong direct bond while minimizing thermal defects in regions proximate the direct bond. | 04-26-2012 |
20120101540 | WAFER-SCALE PACKAGE INCLUDING POWER SOURCE - A medical device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a control module, and an energy storage device. The first substrate includes at least one of a first semiconductor material and a first insulating material. The second substrate includes at least one of a second semiconductor material and a second insulating material. The second substrate is bonded to the first substrate such that the first and second substrates define an enclosed cavity between the first and second substrates. The control module is disposed within the enclosed cavity. The control module is configured to at least one of determine a physiological parameter of a patient and deliver electrical stimulation to the patient. The energy storage device is disposed within the cavity and is configured to supply power to the control module. | 04-26-2012 |
20120108954 | ERROR CORRECTION TECHNIQUES IN SURGICAL NAVIGATION - A medical system includes a sensor location module, a first module, and a second module. The sensor location module determines a location of a magnetic field sensor within a magnetic field. The first module determines an acceleration of the magnetic field sensor. The second module indicates a modified location of the magnetic field sensor in an image of a medical patient based on the acceleration and one or more previously determined locations. | 05-03-2012 |
20120161305 | TECHNIQUES FOR BONDING SUBSTRATES USING AN INTERMEDIATE LAYER - A method includes depositing a thin film on a first surface of a first substrate and moving a second surface of a second substrate into contact with the thin film such that the thin film is located between the first and second surfaces. The method further includes generating electromagnetic (EM) radiation of a first wavelength, the first wavelength selected such that the thin film absorbs EM radiation at the first wavelength. Additionally, the method includes directing the EM radiation through one of the first and second substrates and onto a region of the thin film until the first and second substrates are fused in the region. | 06-28-2012 |
20120197155 | Implantable Capacitive Pressure Sensor Apparatus and Methods Regarding Same - An implantable capacitive pressure sensor apparatus and method for making such an apparatus includes a first pressure sensor portion and a second pressure sensor portion. The first pressure sensor portion includes a diaphragm electrode connectable to ground (e.g., the diaphragm electrode being positioned in close proximity to the body when implanted therein such that the diaphragm electrode is deformable in response to pressure applied thereto by the body). The second pressure sensor portion includes a signal electrode (e.g., wherein the first pressure sensor portion and the second pressure sensor portion are coupled such that a gap is provided between the diaphragm electrode and the signal electrode) and an insulator material. The signal electrode is provided on and in direct contact with the insulator material to electrically isolate the signal electrode such that parasitic capacitance effects on the signal electrode are reduced. | 08-02-2012 |
20130337313 | POWER SOURCES SUITABLE FOR USE IN IMPLANTABLE MEDICAL DEVICES AND CORRESPONDING FABRICATION METHODS - Arrays of planar solid state batteries are stacked in an aligned arrangement for subsequent separation into individual battery stacks. Prior to stacking, a redistribution layer (RDL) is formed over a surface of each wafer that contains an array; each RDL includes first and second groups of conductive traces, each of the first extending laterally from a corresponding positive battery contact, and each of the second extending laterally from a corresponding negative battery contact. Conductive vias, formed before or after stacking, ultimately couple together corresponding contacts of aligned batteries. If before, each via extends through a corresponding battery contact of each wafer and is coupled to a corresponding conductive layer that is included in another RDL formed over an opposite surface of each wafer. If after, each via extends through corresponding aligned conductive traces and, upon separation of individual battery stacks, becomes an exposed conductive channel of a corresponding battery stack. | 12-19-2013 |
20140171822 | WAFER-SCALE PACKAGE INCLUDING POWER SOURCE - A medical device includes a first substrate, a second substrate, a control module, and an energy storage device. The first substrate includes at least one of a first semiconductor material and a first insulating material. The second substrate includes at least one of a second semiconductor material and a second insulating material. The second substrate is bonded to the first substrate such that the first and second substrates define an enclosed cavity between the first and second substrates. The control module is disposed within the enclosed cavity. The control module is configured to at least one of determine a physiological parameter of a patient and deliver electrical stimulation to the patient. The energy storage device is disposed within the cavity and is configured to supply power to the control module. | 06-19-2014 |
20140374145 | HERMETICALLY-SEALED ELECTRICAL CIRCUIT APPARATUS - Hermetically-sealed electrical circuit apparatus and methods for constructing such apparatus using one or more seal portions. | 12-25-2014 |
20150022983 | TECHNIQUES FOR BONDING SUBSTRATES USING AN INTERMEDIATE LAYER - A method includes depositing a thin film on a first surface of a first substrate and moving a second surface of a second substrate into contact with the thin film such that the thin film is located between the first and second surfaces. The method further includes generating electromagnetic (EM) radiation of a first wavelength, the first wavelength selected such that the thin film absorbs EM radiation at the first wavelength. Additionally, the method includes directing the EM radiation through one of the first and second substrates and onto a region of the thin film until the first and second substrates are fused in the region. | 01-22-2015 |