DIAMOND-LIKE COATINGS FOR BIOMEDICAL PACKAGES

THE INCREASED REPLACEMENT OF COMPLEX SENSORY AND MOTOR FUNCTIONS IN THE DISABLED BY PROSTHETIC DEVICES HAS RESULTEDIN THE USAGE OF VERY SMALL ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FOR BOTH STIMULATION AND RECORDING. THE ABILITY TO ADDRESS FUNCTIONSAT A NEUROLOGICAL LEVEL OFTEN REQUIRES THE USE OF EXTREMELY SMALL, INDEPENDENTLY ADDRESSABLE ELECTRODES IN THE 1 TO 2 MICRON RANGE. IT IS ADVANTAGEOUS FOR THE ELECTRONIC CIRCUITRY THAT INTERACTS WITH THESE ELECTRODES TO BE IN THE IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY OF THE ELECTRODES. THIS REQUIREMENT HAS LEAD TO ELECTRONIC PACKAGES WHERE THE ACTIVE ELECTRONIC CIRCUITS ANDELECTRODE INTERFACES COEXIST ON SINGLE INTEGRATED SUBSTRATESTHAT MUST THEN BE IMPLANTED WITHIN THE BODY. THE BODY ENVIRONMENT, BEING ONE OF WARM SALT WATER AND FLUCTUATING ELECTRIC FIELDS, MANDATES THAT AN ELECTRONIC PACKAGE OF THISTYPE BE WELL INSULATED ELECTRICALLY, CORROSION RESISTANT, AND IMPERVIOUS TO WATER PERMEATION. IT IS PLANNED TO USE A DIAMOND-LIKE CARBON FILM FOR THIS PURPOSE. THE GOAL OF THIS WORK IS TO PRODUCE COATINGS THAT WILL BE HIGHLY ADHERENT ON BOTH THE ELECTRONIC PACKAGE AND THE POLYMER-COATED LEADS WHILE ALSO UTILIZING THE EXTRAORDINARY PROPERTIES OF DIAMOND-LIKE FILMS.