Micromachined electrical cauterizer

Patent · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1999

OSTI ID:872481

Lee, Abraham P ^[1]; Krulevitch, Peter A ^[2]; Northrup, M Allen ^[3]

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1. Walnut Creek, CA
2. Pleasanton, CA
3. Berkeley, CA

A micromachined electrical cauterizer. Microstructures are combined with microelectrodes for highly localized electro cauterization. Using boron etch stops and surface micromachining, microneedles with very smooth surfaces are made. Micromachining also allows for precision placement of electrodes by photolithography with micron sized gaps to allow for concentrated electric fields. A microcauterizer is fabricated by bulk etching silicon to form knife edges, then parallelly placed microelectrodes with gaps as small as 5 .mu.m are patterned and aligned adjacent the knife edges to provide homeostasis while cutting tissue. While most of the microelectrode lines are electrically insulated from the atmosphere by depositing and patterning silicon dioxide on the electric feedthrough portions, a window is opened in the silicon dioxide to expose the parallel microelectrode portion. This helps reduce power loss and assist in focusing the power locally for more efficient and safer procedures.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: Regents of University of California (Oakland, CA)
• Patent Number(s): US 5944717
• OSTI ID: 872481
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

micromachined
electrical
cauterizer
microstructures
combined
microelectrodes
highly
localized
electro
cauterization
boron
etch
stops
surface
micromachining
microneedles
smooth
surfaces
allows
precision
placement
electrodes
photolithography
micron
sized
gaps
allow
concentrated
electric
fields
microcauterizer
fabricated
bulk
etching
silicon
form
knife
edges
parallelly
placed
patterned
aligned
adjacent
provide
homeostasis
cutting
tissue
microelectrode
lines
electrically
insulated
atmosphere
depositing
patterning
dioxide
feedthrough
portions
window
expose
parallel
portion
helps
reduce
power
loss
assist
focusing
locally
efficient
safer
procedures
power loss
etch stop
smooth surface
electric field
silicon dioxide
electric fields
surface micromachining
electrically insulated
reduce power
micron size
micromachined electrical
etching silicon
micron sized
highly localized
electrically insulate
electrical cauterizer
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