Method for bonding a hermetic module to an electrode array
A method for bonding a hermetic module to an electrode array including the steps of: providing the electrode array having a flexible substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface and including a plurality of pads in the top surface of the substrate; attaching the hermetic module to the bottom surface of the electrode array, the hermetic module having a plurality of bond-pads wherein each bond-pad is adjacent to the bottom surface of the electrode array and aligns with a respective pad; drill holes through each pad to the corresponding bond-pad; filling each hole with biocompatible conductive ink; forming a rivet on the biocompatible conductive ink over each pad; and overmolding the electrode array with a moisture barrier material.
1. A method for attaching a lead wire to a module frame, the module frame including at least one module pad, the method comprising:
drilling a hole adjacent the at least one module pad of the module frame;
feeding an electrode wire through the drilled hole;
securing the electrode wire in place within the drilled hole;
connecting the at least one module pad to the drilled hole and the electrode wire; and
overmolding the module frame.
2. The method of claim 1 , further including securing the electrode wire by wrapping the electrode wire back onto itself and welding the electrode wire.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the electrode wire is a Platinum wire.
4. The method of claim 1 , further including connecting the at least one module pad to the drilled hole and the electrode wire by applying a printed conductive ink trace.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising filling the drilled hole with epoxy to obtain structural integrity.
6. The method of claim 5 , further including applying the epoxy is applied in a mushroom topology using an ink-jet or aerojet process.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the module frame includes a plurality of module pads and a plurality of corresponding holes with a feedthrough density greater than 2/mm 2 .
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
forming another module assembly according to claim 1 ;
stacking the module assemblies; and
providing a connective via between the two stacked modules.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the module frame is a hermetic module frame and further including:
providing an electrode array having a substrate with a top surface and a bottom surface, wherein the at least one module pad is in the top surface of the substrate;
attaching the hermetic module to the bottom surface of the electrode array, the hermetic module having at least one bond-pad, the bond-pad being adjacent to the bottom surface of the electrode array and aligning with the at least one module pad;
drilling a first hole through the at least one module pad to the at least one bond-pad;
filling the first hole with biocompatible conductive ink;
forming a rivet on the biocompatible conductive ink over the at least one module pad;
drilling a second hole in the electrode array and hermetic module adjacent the at least one module pad;
feeding an electrode wire through the second hole;
securing the wire in place within the second hole;
connecting the at least one module pad to the hole and thereby the wire; and
overmolding the electrode array and hermetic module.
10. A method as recited in claim 9 , further including combining the electrode array and the hermetic module to form a medically implantable electronics module.