Functional hermetic encapsulation of integrated circuits

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Biomedical Engineering
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• Implantable devices require robust encapsulation to prevent degradation and ensure functionality.
• Current encapsulation methods face challenges with diverse substrate materials and complex geometries.
• In situ vacuum processing offers a controlled environment for advanced material synthesis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate a new thin-film synthesis technology for implantable devices.
• To demonstrate the capability of plasma polymerization/vapor deposition (PP/VD) for hermetic encapsulation.
• To assess the long-term performance of encapsulated electronic components.

Main Methods:

• Development of the plasma polymerization/vapor deposition (PP/VD) process.
• Integration of surface cleaning, treatment, and encapsulation into a single vacuum process.
• Application of the PP/VD process to coat CMOS integrated circuits.

Main Results:

• Successful synthesis of functional hermetic encapsulating polymer films with a 5-micron thickness.
• The PP/VD process demonstrated independence from substrate composition, dimensions, and geometry.
• Encapsulated CMOS integrated circuits maintained stable performance parameters after one year of immersion in Ringer's solution.

Conclusions:

• The PP/VD technology provides a versatile and effective method for hermetic encapsulation of implantable electronic devices.
• This process ensures long-term device reliability and performance integrity in physiological environments.
• The developed thin-film technology holds significant promise for advancing the field of medical implants.