April 2014
Volume 55, Issue 13
Free
ARVO Annual Meeting Abstract  |   April 2014
Progress in DIAMOND-I high acuity epi-retinal prosthesis prototype
Author Affiliations & Notes
  • Kumaravelu Ganesan
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • David J Garrett
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Alastair Stacey
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Kate E Fox
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Arman Ahnood
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Hemish Meffin
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
    National ICT Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Samantha Lichter
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Wei Tong
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  • Mathilde C Escudie
    Bionic Vision Australia, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
  • Steven Prawer
    Physics, University of melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
  • Footnotes
    Commercial Relationships Kumaravelu Ganesan, Uiversity of Melbourne (P); David Garrett, Uiversity of Melbourne (P); Alastair Stacey, None; Kate Fox, Uiversity of Melbourne (P); Arman Ahnood, None; Hemish Meffin, Uiversity of Melbourne (P); Samantha Lichter, Uiversity of Melbourne (P); Wei Tong, None; Mathilde Escudie, None; Steven Prawer, Uiversity of Melbourne (P)
  • Footnotes
    Support None
Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science April 2014, Vol.55, 1806. doi:
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      Kumaravelu Ganesan, David J Garrett, Alastair Stacey, Kate E Fox, Arman Ahnood, Hemish Meffin, Samantha Lichter, Wei Tong, Mathilde C Escudie, Steven Prawer; Progress in DIAMOND-I high acuity epi-retinal prosthesis prototype. Invest. Ophthalmol. Vis. Sci. 2014;55(13):1806.

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      © ARVO (1962-2015); The Authors (2016-present)

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Abstract
 
Purpose
 

To fabricate and test a non-cytotoxic, chemically inert, hermetically sealed high acuity epi-retinal prosthesis made out of diamond.

 
Methods
 

Diamond Microelectrode Array Fabrication: Electrical feedthroughs were made on an electrically insulating polycrystalline diamond (PCD) substrate using pulsed laser milling and electrically conducting nitrogen incorporated ultrananocrystalline diamond (N-UNCD) was grown on top of it using microwave enhance chemical vapour deposition technique. Finally, the N-UNCD electrodes were electrically isolated by pulsed laser milling followed by oxygen plasma cleaning. Metallisation and Integration with electronics: Gold active braze alloy brazing was performed in vacuum to fill the back of the electrical feedthroughs for under bump metallisation and the annulus for laser micro-welding. The back of the electrode feedthroughs were bonded with the microelectronic chip using an indium flipchip bonding technique. Encapsulation: A lid was fabricated from solid polycrystalline diamond and then hermetically micro-welded to the microelectrode array coupled with the chip. The hermeticity of the array and welded capsule were tested using a helium leak tester by attaching the electrode array to a Viton® O-ring.

 
Results
 

A rat cortical neuron grown on N-UNCD, PCD and tissue culture plastic (TCP) for 24 h showed that neurons survived in high numbers on both N-UNCD and PCD compared to TCP. This result indicates that neither forms of diamond is cytotoxic. Electrical testing showed that the average isolation over all electrode pairs was about 500 MΩ. The helium leak rate measured through the hermetic arrays and welded capsule is less than the detection limit of the helium leak tester (1x10-11 mbar L s-1 ). Fig1(a) is the SEM image of the electrode and Fig1(b) shows the nanostructrued surface of the electrode.

 
Conclusions
 

A high density diamond epi-retinal prosthesis prototype with non cytotoxic diamond material was fabricated and tested successfully. The use of a single material for construction of the array and encapsulation eliminates any potential materials mismatches that could lead to device failure.

 
 
Fig1 : (a) An SEM image of a monolithic diamond microelectrode array. Each electrode is 120umx120um and the pitch is 150um. (b) Nanostructured N-UNCD surface. (c) Laser welded implant (D) Microwelded gold braze line.
 
Fig1 : (a) An SEM image of a monolithic diamond microelectrode array. Each electrode is 120umx120um and the pitch is 150um. (b) Nanostructured N-UNCD surface. (c) Laser welded implant (D) Microwelded gold braze line.
 
Keywords: 688 retina  
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