Implantable thin film devices

Abstract

Implementations described and claimed herein provide thin film devices and methods of manufacturing and implanting the same. In one implementation, a shaped insulator is formed having an inner surface, an outer surface, and a profile shaped according to a selected dielectric use. A layer of conductive traces is fabricated on the inner surface of the shaped insulator using biocompatible metallization. An insulating layer is applied over the layer of conductive traces. An electrode array and a connection array are fabricated on the outer surface of the shaped insulator and/or the insulating layer, and the electrode array and the connection array are in electrical communication with the layer of conductive traces to form a flexible circuit. The implantable thin film device is formed from the flexible circuit according to the selected dialectic use.

1 - 23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . An implantable thin film stimulation device formed as a circuit tip assembly, comprising:
 a shaped insulator having a first surface and a second surface and a stimulation end and a terminal end, the shaped insulator having a non-flat profile;   an insulating layer applied over the layer of conductive traces;   a plurality of electrodes disposed on the second surface of the shaped insulator and arranged along a length of the stimulation end of the shaped insulator;   a plurality of connection spots disposed at the terminal end of the shaped insulator;   a plurality of conductive traces positioned between the insulating layer and the first surface of the shaped insulator, wherein the plurality of conductive traces are formed using biocompatible metallization; and   one or more conductive vias, wherein each electrode of the plurality of electrodes corresponds to one of the connection spots of the plurality of connection spots, and wherein electrical communication between electrode and connection spot pairs is established using a particular conductive trace of the plurality of conductive traces, a particular conductive via of the one or more conductive vias, or both.   
     
     
         25 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the shaped insulator comprises a body portion, and wherein a width of the body portion is narrower than a width of the terminal end and a width of the stimulation end. 
     
     
         26 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the width of the terminal end and the width of the stimulation end are tapered at a region of the shaped insulator where the body portion meets the terminal end and the stimulation end. 
     
     
         27 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 25 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces run substantially parallel along a length of the body portion. 
     
     
         28 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein a first set of conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a first side of the terminal end and a second set of conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a second side of the terminal end, the first side of the terminal end and second side of the terminal end corresponding to longitudinal edges of the terminal end. 
     
     
         29 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 28 , wherein the plurality of connection spots are disposed between the first side of the terminal end and second side of the terminal end. 
     
     
         30 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein a first set of conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a first side of the stimulation end and a second set of conductive traces of the plurality of conductive traces are disposed on a second side of the stimulation end, the first side of the stimulation end and the second side of the stimulation end corresponding to longitudinal edges of the stimulation end. 
     
     
         31 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 30 , wherein the plurality of electrodes are disposed between the first side of the stimulation end and second side of the stimulation end. 
     
     
         32 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of conductive traces are formed using at least one of resist printing, laser ablation, etching, and conductive printing. 
     
     
         33 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , further comprising:
 a second plurality of conductive traces; and   one or more additional conductive vias,   wherein the plurality of conductive traces, the second plurality of conductive traces, the one or more conductive vias, and the one or more additional conductive vias form a plurality of conductive layers, wherein each conductive layer of the plurality of conductive layers from other conductive layers of the plurality of conductive layers by one of a plurality of insulating layers, the plurality of insulating layers including the insulating layer.   
     
     
         34 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the conductive layers are configured to electrically connect the electrodes to a power source. 
     
     
         35 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise three-dimensional shapes. 
     
     
         36 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the plurality of connection spots comprise three-dimensional shapes. 
     
     
         37 . The implantable thin film stimulation device of  claim 24 , wherein the stimulation end has a paddle shape. 
     
     
         38 . A method of manufacturing an implantable thin film stimulation device, the method comprising:
 forming a shaped insulator having a first surface and a second surface and a stimulation end and a terminal end, the shaped insulator having a non-flat profile;   providing a layer of conductive traces formed using biocompatible metallization on the first surface of the shaped insulator;   applying an insulating layer over the layer of conductive traces such that the layer of conductive traces are disposed between the first surface of the shaped insulator and the insulating layer;   providing one or more conductive vias, wherein at least one conductive via of the one or more conductive vias is disposed within the shaped insulator;   forming an electrode array of one or more electrodes on the second surface of the shaped insulator at the stimulation end; and   forming a connection array of one or more connection spots positioned at the terminal end of the shaped insulator, wherein electrical communication between the electrode array and the connection array is provided by the layer of conductive traces and the one or more conductive vias.   
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the layer of conductive traces is provided on the first surface of the shaped insulator using at least one of resist printing, laser ablation, etching, and conductive printing. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the layer of conductive traces and the one or more conductive vias form a first conductive layer, the method further comprising:
 forming one or more additional conductive layers; and   adding each of the one or more additional conductive layers and one or more additional insulating layers to the insulating layer, wherein each of the one or more additional conductive layers is separated from other conductive layers by one of the one or more additional insulating layers, the insulating layer, or both.   
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the layer of conductive traces extend parallel along a length of a body portion of the shaped insulator, the body portion disposed between the terminal end and the stimulation end of the shaped insulator. 
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the stimulation end, the terminal end, or both has a paddle shaped form factor. 
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 38 , wherein the plurality of electrodes comprise three-dimensional shapes.