Physiological characteristic sensors and methods for forming such sensors

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9681828-B2
Application number	US-201414267739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 1, 2014
Priority date	May 1, 2014
Publication date	Jun 20, 2017
Grant date	Jun 20, 2017

Abstract

A physiological characteristic sensor, a method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, and a method for forming a platinum deposit having a rough surface are presented here. The method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor includes immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath. Further, the method includes performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and
performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the pulsed signal includes a repeated cycle of a first current and a second current different from the first current, and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the non-pulsed continuous signal includes a non-repeated application of a third current, for from about 50 seconds to about 240 seconds to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying cycles of about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the first current and about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the second current to the sensor electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode before applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode after applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying cycles the repeated cycle of the first current of from about −50 μA to about −150 μA and the second current of from about 0 μA to about −20 μA.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying from about 100 to about 300 cycles of the first current and the second current to the sensor electrode.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying cycles of about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the first current and about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the second current to the sensor electrode.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a pulsed current in a square pulse pattern.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein immersing the sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath comprises immersing the sensor electrode in a solution of hydrogen hexachloroplatinate (H 2 PtCl 6 ) and lead acetate trihydrate (Pb(CH 3 COO) 2 .3H 2 O).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a first pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a first sequence and applying a second pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a second sequence.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises:
applying a first pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a first sequence by applying cycles of a first current of from about −80 μA to about −120 μA and a second current of from about 0 μA to about −10 μA; and
applying a second pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a second sequence by applying cycles of a third current of from about −80 μA to about −100 μA and a fourth current of from about −70 μA to about −90 μA; and

wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying the non-pulsed continuous current of from about −70 μA to about −110 μA.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a first pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a first sequence and applying a second pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a second sequence and wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a first non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode and applying a second non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises:
applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode;
applying a first step signal to the sensor electrode;
applying a second step signal to the sensor electrode;
applying a third step signal to the sensor electrode;
applying a fourth step signal to the sensor electrode; and
applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

14. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and
performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode, wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a non-pulsed continuous current of from about −50 μA to about −120 μA to the sensor electrode for from about 50 seconds to about 240 seconds.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:
providing a base layer;
forming an adhesion layer over the base layer;
forming a metallization layer over the adhesion layer; and
patterning an insulation layer over the metallization layer to define a selectively exposed surface of the metallization layer, wherein the selectively exposed surface of the metallization layer forms the sensor electrode.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor electrode has an initial surface area, and wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises forming a modified electrochemical real surface area at least 80 times greater than the initial surface area.

17. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and
performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal including a repeated cycle of a first current and a second current different from the first current to the sensor electrode and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal including a non-repeated application of a non-pulsed continuous current to the sensor electrode to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode,

wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises:
applying a first pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a first sequence by applying cycles of the first current of from about −80 μA to about −120 μA and the second current of from about 0 μA to about −10 μA; and
applying a second pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a second sequence by applying cycles of a third current of from about −80 μA to about −100 μA and a fourth current of from about −70 μA to about −90 μA; and

wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying the non-pulsed continuous current of from about −70 μA to about −110 μA.

18. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:
immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and
performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the pulsed signal includes a repeated cycle of a first current and a second current different from the first current, and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the non-pulsed continuous signal includes a non-repeated application of a third current, to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode, wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises:
applying the pulsed sig

Assignees

• Medtronic Minimed Inc

Inventors

• Jacks Steven C
• Gautham Raghavendhar
• Liang Bradley C
• Little Megan E
• Pesantez Daniel E
• Shah Rajiv

Classifications

• A61B2562/02

  Details of sensors specially adapted for in-vivo measurements · CPC title

• C25D7/00

  Electroplating characterised by the article coated · CPC title

• C23C28/00

  Coating for obtaining at least two superposed coatings either by methods not provided for in a single one of groups C23C2/00 - C23C26/00 or by combinations of methods provided for in subclasses C23C and C25C or C25D · CPC title

• C25D5/18

  Electroplating using modulated, pulsed or reversing current · CPC title

• G01N27/327

  Biochemical electrodes {, e.g. electrical or mechanical details for in vitro measurements} · CPC title