Liquid crystal polymer-based electrode array and package for neural implant, and manufacturing method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017232250-A1
Application number	US-201515502083-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Aug 10, 2015
Priority date	Aug 8, 2014
Publication date	Aug 17, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a liquid crystal polymer-based electrode array for a neural implant, according to the present invention, can comprise the steps of: forming a seed layer on a liquid crystal polymer substrate; forming a plating mold having a pattern selectively exposing a part of the upper part of the seed layer; plating an electrode material on the exposed seed layer by using the plating mold as a plating barrier layer; forming an electrode by removing the plating mold and the seed layer therebelow; embedding the electrode by compressing a liquid crystal polymer cover layer on the electrode; and forming an electrode site exposing the upper part of the electrode by selectively removing a part of the liquid crystal polymer cover layer.

First claim

1 . A method of manufacturing an electrode array for a liquid crystal polymer (LCP)-based neural implant, comprising:
forming a seed layer on an LCP substrate; forming a plating mold having a pattern configured to selectively expose a part of a top of the seed layer; plating the exposed seed layer with an electrode material using the plating mold as a plating barrier layer; forming an electrode by removing the plating mold and the seed layer therebelow; embedding the electrode by compressing an LCP cover layer onto the electrode; and forming an electrode site that exposes a top of the electrode by selectively removing a part of the LCP cover layer.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising, before the forming of the electrode site, evenly removing the LCP substrate and the LCP cover layer to a certain thickness.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the removing of the LCP substrate and the LCP cover layer is performed through a laser etching process.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the seed layer is formed through an evaporation or sputtering process.

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the plating mold is a photoresist pattern.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the LCP cover layer is a plasma-treated LCP.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the selectively removing of the part of the top of the LCP cover layer is performed through a laser etching process.

8 . An array and package for an LCP-based neural implant, comprising a sealed package portion with an electronic component embedded therein and an electrode portion with a multi-channel electrode site pattern electrically connected to the electronic component through a plurality of lead wires,
wherein the lead wires in the electrode portion are arranged inside the electrode portion and the multi-channel electrode site pattern is disposed outside the electrode portion.

9 . A method of manufacturing a package for an LCP-based neural implant, comprising:
mounting an electronic component at a certain position on an electronic board; manufacturing a component structure by stacking an intermediate substrate having a cavity that accommodates the electronic component on the electronic board; aligning the component structure at a certain position on an LCP substrate; and manufacturing a package by aligning and pressurizing an LCP cover layer on the component structure.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, after the manufacturing of the component structure, filling the cavity with LCP powder.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the intermediate substrate is formed of an LCP film in a multilayer structure.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the cavity is formed through a laser etching process.

13 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising, before the aligning of the LCP cover layer, forming an optical window at a certain position on the LCP cover layer.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the optical window is formed through a selective pressurizing process using a mold having flatness.

15 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the optical window is formed through a laser etching process.

16 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the optical window is formed through a plasma etching process.

17 . A method of manufacturing a package for an LCP-based neural implant, comprising:
mounting an electronic component on a curved type LCP substrate; filling a curved area with LCP powder to embed the electronic component; aligning a concave type LCP cover layer at a target position on the curved type LCP substrate; and manufacturing a curved type sealed package by pressurizing the curved type LCP substrate and the concave type LCP cover layer using a curved type lower press jig opposite to a curved surface and a concave type upper press jig opposite to a concave surface.

Assignees

• Univ Seoul Nat R & Db Found
• Todoc Co Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Sung June
• Kim Jin Ho
• Min Kyou Sik
• Park Jeong Hoan
• Lee Sung Eun
• Jeong Joon Soo

Classifications

• A61N1/36046

  of the eye · CPC title

• A61N1/0543 Primary

  Retinal electrodes · CPC title

• A61F2240/001

  Designing or manufacturing processes · CPC title

• A61B2050/3015

  transparent · CPC title

• A61B2562/125

  characterised by the manufacture of electrodes · CPC title