Ceramic packaging in neural implants

Abstract The lifetime of neural implants is strongly dependent on packaging due to the aqueous and biochemically aggressive nature body. Over last decade, there has been a drive towards neuromodulatory which are wireless approaching millimeter-scales with increasing electrode count. A so-far unrealized goal for these new types devices an in-vivo comparable sizable fraction healthy patient’s (>10–20 years). Existing, approved medical commonly encapsulate components in metal enclosures (e.g. titanium) brazed ceramic inserts feedthrough. It unclear how amenable traditional approach simultaneous goals miniaturization, increased channel count, communication. Ceramic materials have also played significant role their dielectric properties, corrosion resistance, biocompatibility, high strength, but not as used housing brittleness difficulty they present creating complex geometries. However, thin-film technology opened opportunities ceramics processing. Thin films derived largely from semiconductor industry can be deposited patterned ways, conductivities altered during manufacturing provide conductors well insulators, fabricate flexible substrates. In this review, we give overview implants, emphasis utilized device packaging, micromachining processing may further developed create truly reliable, miniaturized, implants.