In vitro and in vivo evaluation of ultrananocrystalline diamond for coating of implantable retinal microchips.
In this work, ultrananocrystalline diamond (UNCD) thin films were evaluated for use as hermetic and bioinert coatings for a retinal microchip. These films were deposited on highly conductive Si substrates at different temperatures (from 400 to 800 degrees C), using microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition with argon-rich Ar/CH4 gas mixtures and different relative amounts of hydrogen (0-20%). Scanning electron microscopy studies showed that all the films are dense and continuous. Results of cyclic voltammetry test revealed that when there was <2% of hydrogen in the plasma, the film obtained renders the surface electrochemically inactive, with very low leakage currents ( approximately 4 x 10(-7) A/cm2 at +/-5 V). In addition, in vivo tests of the UNCD-coated Si samples were performed by implanting them in the eyes of rabbits for 4-6 months within the eye physiological environment. According to all these results, it was concluded that UNCD is a promising candidate for use as the encapsulating coatings for implantable retinal microelectronic devices.
Xiao
Xingcheng
X
Materials Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois 60439, USA.
Wang
Jian
J
Liu
Chao
C
Carlisle
John A
JA
Mech
Brian
B
Greenberg
Robert
R
Guven
Dilek
D
Freda
Ricardo
R
Humayun
Mark S
MS
Weiland
James
J
Auciello
Orlando
O
D000818:Animals; D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible / Q000737:chemistry*; D018130:Diamond; D004582:Electronics, Medical; D020007:Implants, Experimental; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D049329:Nanostructures; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D011817:Rabbits; D012160:Retina; D012825:Silicon; D013499:Surface Properties
D020099:Coated Materials, Biocompatible; D018130:Diamond; D012825:Silicon