SOL-GEL COATING FOR PROTECTION OF IMPLANT DEVICES

THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOL-GEL DERIVED, CERAMIC-LIKE COATING FOR THE HERMETIC PROTECTION OF MICROELECTRONIC IMPLANT DEVICES. OUR PHASE I OBJECTIVE IS TO EVALUATE ANOMALOUSLY LOW SURFACE AREA A12O3/SIO2 COMPOSITION FOR THIS APPLICATION. SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO DETERMINE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COATING AS A FUNCTION OF SOL-GEL PROCESSING CONDITIONS, TO DEMONSTRATE ACCEPTABLE HERMETICITY PROPERTIES FOR LONG LIFE APPLICATIONS, TO DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY TO ADHERE THE COATING TO A VARIETY OF SUBSTRATES THROUGH A REACTIVE CHEMISTRY TECHNOLOGY, AND TO DEMONSTRATE THE POTENTIAL TO SOLVE ONE CRITICAL HERMETIC PROTECTION PROBLEM. AS THE ESTABLISHED METHODOLOGY FOR THE PREPARATION OF LOW SURFACE AREA, SOL-GEL COATINGS WILL BE EMPLOYED. CHARACTERIZATION AS A FUNCTION OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION WILL INCLUDE HELIUM DISPLACEMENT DENSITY, NITROGEN SPECIFIC SURFACE AREA, NMR AND MERCURY INTRUSION PORE SIZE, AND SEM/TEM. DIFFUSION TO WATER VAPOR WILL BE DETERMINED. PULL-OFF TESTS WILL EVALUATE ADHERENCE. INTERDIGITATED FINGER MEASUREMENTS WILL BE A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE. A LOW SURFACE AREA CERAMIC COATING AND REACTIVE ADHERENCE TECHNOLOGIES ARE BOTH INNOVATIONS. SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE A LONG LIFE MICROELECTRONIC IMPLANT DEVICE CAPABILITY. THE GOAL OF THIS PROJECT IS THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SOL-GEL DERIVED, CERAMIC-LIKE COATING FOR THE HERMETIC PROTECTION OF MICROELECTRONIC IMPLANT DEVICES. OUR PHASE I OBJECTIVE IS TO EVALUATE ANOMALOUSLY LOW SURFACE AREA A12O3/SIO2 COMPOSITION FOR THIS APPLICATION. SPECIFIC AIMS ARE TO DETERMINE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF COATING AS A FUNCTION OF SOL-GEL PROCESSING CONDITIONS, TO DEMONSTRATE ACCEPTABLE HERMETICITY PROPERTIES FOR LONG LIFE APPLICATIONS, TO DEMONSTRATE THE ABILITY TO ADHERE THE COATING TO A VARIETY OF SUBSTRATES THROUGH A REACTIVE CHEMISTRY TECHNOLOGY, AND TO DEMONSTRATE THE POTENTIAL TO SOLVE ONE CRITICAL HERMETIC PROTECTION PROBLEM. AS THE ESTABLISHED METHODOLOGY FOR THE PREPARATION OF LOW SURFACE AREA, SOL-GEL COATINGS WILL BE EMPLOYED. CHARACTERIZATION AS A FUNCTION OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION WILL INCLUDE HELIUM DISPLACEMENT DENSITY, NITROGEN SPECIFIC SURFACE AREA, NMR AND MERCURY INTRUSION PORE SIZE, AND SEM/TEM. DIFFUSION TO WATER VAPOR WILL BE DETERMINED. PULL-OFF TESTS WILL EVALUATE ADHERENCE. INTERDIGITATED FINGER MEASUREMENTS WILL BE A PRACTICAL EXAMPLE. A LOW SURFACE AREA CERAMIC COATING AND REACTIVE ADHERENCE TECHNOLOGIES ARE BOTH INNOVATIONS. SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT WILL ENHANCE THE ABILITY TO ACHIEVE A LONG LIFE MICROELECTRONIC IMPLANT DEVICE CAPABILITY.