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Electrical Isolation Performance of Microgasket Technology for Implant Packaging
Paritosh Rustogi1, Jack W Judy1
1Electrical and Computer Engineering Department, Nanoscience Institute for Medical and Engineering Technology, University of Florida, Gainesville, USA.
... Electronic Components & Technology Conference. Electronic Components & Technology Conference
|May 19, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a novel silicone microgasket for electrically isolating neural interface components. This approach offers comparable isolation to conventional methods, enabling easier repairs and upgrades for neural implants.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Materials Science
- Neurotechnology
Background:
- High-channel-count neural interfaces require robust packaging for electrical isolation.
- Current packaging methods often involve permanent bonding and encapsulation, hindering maintenance and upgrades.
- Rematable microgaskets are established for fluidic interconnects but not demonstrated for electrical isolation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the efficacy of compressible silicone microgaskets for electrical isolation in neural interfaces.
- To evaluate the performance of microgaskets as a scalable and maintainable packaging solution.
- To enable smaller and higher-performance neural implants through advanced packaging.
Main Methods:
- Developed and implemented compressible silicone microgaskets to electrically isolate 2-D arrays of contact pads.
- Utilized Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to quantify electrical isolation.
- Tested microgasket performance on polyimide flex circuits soaked in saline.
Main Results:
- Compressed sub-millimeter microgaskets achieved excellent electrical isolation (>30 MΩ at 1 KHz).
- Isolation performance was comparable to conventional packaging methods like polydimethylsiloxane elastomer (PDMSe) and parylene-C encapsulation.
- The microgasket approach proved effective in saline conditions.
Conclusions:
- Silicone microgaskets offer a viable and effective method for electrical isolation in neural interfaces.
- This approach is scalable to high channel counts and densities, facilitating smaller, higher-performance implants.
- The rematable nature of microgaskets allows for easier battery replacement and electronic upgrades.
