Laser-induced explosive vaporization coating method, associated system, and device made by the method

1 . A method for coating at least a portion of at least one device, comprising:

arranging on a surface of a substrate a solution;

directing a beam at the substrate, the beam heating the substrate; and

arranging the at least one device in an ejection cone formed by a vaporization of the solution.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution is vaporized by a heat transfer from the substrate to the solution.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the ejection cone includes one of a vaporized solution and an atomized solution, the atomized solution being formed by an explosive vaporization of the solution.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution includes a bioactive agent dissolved in a solvent, the solvent having a boiling point less than a thermal damage temperature of the bioactive agent.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising ejecting by a vaporization of the solution at least a portion of the bioactive agent into the ejection cone.

6 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the bioactive agent includes at least one of a drug and a polymer.

7 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising, after the directing of the beam operation, directing a gas flow to transport the bioactive agent to the at least one device.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

enclosing the substrate and the at least one device in an enclosure; and

removing by a pump the solvent in the vaporization of the solution from the enclosure.

10 . The method of claim 8 , wherein the enclosure is maintained at a partial vacuum.

11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the arranging of the solution is by one of spraying and spin coating.

12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the solution absorbs about zero energy of the beam.

13 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the substrate is one of flat, concave, and convex.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beam is one of a laser beam, an electron beam, and a light beam produced by a flashlamp.

15 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the beam is pulsed.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the beam with respect to the substrate.

17 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving the substrate with respect to the beam.

18 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the at least one device includes at least one medical appliance.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein the at least one medical appliance includes at least one stent.

20 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

arranging on the solution another solution, the other solution including a bioactive agent dissolved in a solvent; and

ejecting by the vaporization of the solution at least a portion of the other solution into the ejection cone.

21 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the arranging of other solution is by one of spraying and spin coating.

22 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the other solution absorbs about zero energy of the beam.

23 . The method of claim 20 , wherein:

the solvent of the other solution has a higher boiling point than a boiling point of the solution; and

the boiling point of the solution is less than a thermal damage temperature of the bioactive agent.

24 . The method of claim 20 , wherein the bioactive agent includes at least one of a drug and a polymer.

25 . A system for coating at least one device, comprising:

a target assembly adapted to hold a substrate having a solution arranged on a surface of the substrate;

a beam source directed at the surface of the substrate and adapted to emit a beam; and

an arrangement adapted to hold the at least one device in an ejection cone, an apex of the ejection cone being at a target point that the beam contacts the surface.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein a vaporized agent is formed from the solution being vaporized by a heat transfer from the substrate to the solution.

27 . The system of claim 26 , wherein an atomized agent is formed by an explosive vaporization of the solution.

28 . The system of claim 27 , further comprising a gas source adapted to transport one of the vaporized agent and the atomized agent from the surface to the at least one device.

29 . The system of claim 25 , further comprising an evaporation chamber adapted to enclose at least the substrate and the at least one device.

30 . The system of claim 29 , further comprising a pump adapted to remove a solvent from the evaporation chamber, the pump forming a partial vacuum in the evaporation chamber.

31 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the beam source includes one of a laser, an electron beam source, and a flashlamp.

32 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the solution includes at least one of a drug and a polymer.

33 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the at least one device includes at least one medical appliance.

34 . The system of claim 25 , wherein one of the target assembly and the beam source is adapted to move with respect to the other of the target assembly and the beam source.

35 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the target assembly is adapted to spin, a spinning of the target assembly causing the solution to spread on the surface.

36 . The system of claim 25 , further comprising an arrangement for spraying the solution on the surface of the substrate.

37 . A medical appliance having a coating applied by a method, the method comprising:

arranging on a surface of a substrate a solution;

directing a beam at the substrate, the beam heating the substrate; and

arranging the medical appliance in an ejection cone formed by a vaporization of the solution.

38 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein the solution is vaporized by a heat transfer from the substrate to the solution.

39 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein the ejection cone includes one of a vaporized solution and an atomized solution, the atomized solution being formed by an explosive vaporization of the solution.

40 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein:

the solution includes a bioactive agent dissolved in a solvent, the solvent having a boiling point less than a thermal damage temperature of the bioactive agent; and

the vaporized solution ejects at least a portion of the bioactive agent into the ejection cone.

41 . The medical appliance of claim 40 , wherein the bioactive agent includes at least one of a drug and a polymer.

42 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , further comprising:

arranging on the solution another solution, the other solution including a bioactive agent dissolved in a solvent; and

ejecting by the vaporized solution at least a portion of the other solution into the ejection cone.

43 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein the medical appliance includes a stent.

44 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein the coating includes a masking material.

45 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein the coating is chosen from a group consisting of a polymer with a suspended drug, a non-thrombogenic agent, a lubricious material, a non-slippery material, a radioactive agent, and a magnetic signature.

46 . The medical appliance of claim 37 , wherein the coating is a radiopaque agent.