Long-acting storage assembly of flexible electrode, dry coupling assembly and method

Abstract

The invention provides a long-acting storage assembly of a flexible electrode, a dry coupling assembly and a method. The long-acting storage assembly of the flexible electrode comprises the flexible electrode which comprises a bonding pad part, an electrode part and a net-shaped structure which are connected in sequence, the bonding pad part is located at the rear end, and the net-shaped structure is located at the front end; the silicon wafer is arranged below the bonding pad part and is connected with and bears the bonding pad part; the circuit board is electrically connected with the bonding pad part; the hydrophobic platform is arranged below the silicon wafer so as to jointly bear the silicon wafer, the circuit board and the flexible electrode, and the electrode part of the flexible electrode and the net-shaped structure are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform; wherein the mesh structure of the flexible electrode is configured to be coupled with a rigid carrier needle. According to the invention, the problems of long-term storage and reliable coupling of the flexible electrode before implantation can be solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure belongs to the field of brain-computer interface technology, and relates to flexible electrode technology, specifically to a long-term preservation component and a dry coupling component and method for a flexible electrode. Background Technology

[0002] Brain-computer interfaces are gradually becoming an emerging method for understanding the mechanisms of human brain activity, and implantable flexible electrodes play a crucial role in the interaction between the human brain and computers, thus being widely used in the acquisition of neural signals. Flexible electrodes typically consist of two flexible insulating layers and a middle metal layer, and are implanted primarily through coupling with a rigid carrier.

[0003] However, there are significant technical bottlenecks in the long-term preservation and reliable coupling of flexible electrodes before implantation: First, in terms of long-term preservation, flexible electrodes are not rigid enough, are very fragile, and are not easy to preserve for a long time. They are also very easy to be damaged during pre-implantation operations and transfers.

[0004] Secondly, traditional wet coupling techniques have inherent drawbacks in coupling with rigid carriers: due to the difference in hydrophilicity and hydrophobicity between the flexible probe and the rigid carrier, the flexible electrode is prone to entanglement and cross-linking with the rigid carrier or may fail to connect tightly, leading to coupling failure. Furthermore, the liquid medium relied upon for wet coupling evaporates in air, making it difficult to preserve the coupling structure in air for extended periods.

[0005] Therefore, finding a reliable coupling technology that can achieve long-term preservation of flexible electrodes and connect them is the key to solving the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0006] This disclosure provides a long-term preservation component and a dry coupling component and method for a flexible electrode.

[0007] In a first aspect, this disclosure provides a long-term preservation component for a flexible electrode, comprising: a flexible electrode including a pad portion, an electrode portion, and a mesh structure connected in sequence, wherein the pad portion is located at a rear end and the mesh structure is located at a front end; a silicon wafer disposed below the pad portion, connecting to and supporting the pad portion; a circuit board electrically connected to the pad portion; and a hydrophobic platform disposed below the silicon wafer to jointly support the silicon wafer, the circuit board, and the flexible electrode, wherein the electrode portion of the flexible electrode and the mesh structure are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform; wherein the mesh structure of the flexible electrode is configured to be coupled to a rigid carrier pin.

[0008] In some alternative embodiments, the surface of the hydrophobic platform has a patterned rough structure, such that the contact between the flexible electrode and the hydrophobic platform is a non-full-area contact.

[0009] In some alternative embodiments, the material of the hydrophobic platform is selected from at least one of cleanroom wipes, PET, UV tape, heat release tape, release paper, or silicone paper.

[0010] In some alternative embodiments, the diameter of the mesh structure is 40±5μm.

[0011] In some alternative implementations, the pad portion of the flexible electrode and the silicon wafer are connected via a sacrificial layer.

[0012] Secondly, this disclosure provides a dry coupling assembly for a flexible electrode, comprising: a fixed platform assembly, including a fixed platform and a guide rail embedded on the surface of the fixed platform; a silicon wafer assembled on the fixed platform; a flexible electrode, including a pad portion, an electrode portion, and a mesh structure connected in sequence, wherein the pad portion located at the rear end is fixedly connected to the silicon wafer; a circuit board assembled on the fixed platform and electrically connected to the pad portion of the flexible electrode; and a rigid carrier pin, the main body of which passes through the guide rail, the tip and tail of which protrude from the guide rail, and the tip of which is coupled to the mesh structure of the flexible electrode; wherein the electrode portion of the flexible electrode is in a suspended state without support.

[0013] In some alternative embodiments, the diameter of the mesh structure is 40±5μm.

[0014] In some alternative embodiments, the rigid carrier needle is a metal microfilament with a tip and a diameter of 50-100 μm.

[0015] In some alternative implementations, the guide rail is a glass tube with a diameter of 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm.

[0016] In some alternative embodiments, the fixing platform is fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer material using 3D printing.

[0017] Thirdly, this disclosure provides a method for pre-implantation processing of a flexible electrode, comprising the following steps: S1: An electrode silicon wafer assembly is provided, which includes a silicon wafer and a flexible electrode fabricated on the silicon wafer; the flexible electrode includes a pad portion, an electrode portion and a mesh structure connected in sequence. S2: Provide a circuit board for electrically connecting the pad portion of the flexible electrode to the circuit board; S3: Separate the electrode portion and the mesh structure of the flexible electrode from the silicon wafer while maintaining the connection between the pad portion and the silicon wafer; S4: Cut off and remove the front section of the silicon wafer corresponding to the electrode portion and the mesh structure; S5: Provide a hydrophobic platform, which is disposed below the silicon wafer to jointly support the silicon wafer, the circuit board, and the flexible electrode, wherein the electrode portion and the mesh structure of the flexible electrode are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform; and dry the flexible electrode attached to the hydrophobic platform to obtain a long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode as described in the first aspect.

[0018] In some alternative implementations, after step S5, the method further includes: S6: Remove the hydrophobic platform and assemble the silicon wafer and the circuit board onto a fixed platform assembly. The fixed platform assembly includes a fixed platform and a guide rail disposed thereon. After assembly, the electrode portion of the flexible electrode and the mesh structure are in a suspended state without support. The guide rail is located between the silicon wafer and the fixed platform. S7: A rigid carrier needle is provided. In a dry environment, the rigid carrier needle is guided to move by the guide rail, and the tip of the rigid carrier needle is dry-coupled with the mesh structure of the flexible electrode to obtain the dry coupling assembly of the flexible electrode as described in the second aspect.

[0019] In some alternative embodiments, in the electrode silicon wafer assembly, the flexible electrode and the silicon wafer are connected by a sacrificial layer, and step S3 further includes: selectively removing the portion of the sacrificial layer corresponding to the electrode portion and the mesh structure, thereby separating the electrode portion of the flexible electrode and the mesh structure from the silicon wafer.

[0020] To address the current technical challenges of long-term preservation and reliable coupling of flexible electrodes, this disclosure proposes a long-term preservation component and a dry coupling component and method for flexible electrodes, aiming to achieve the goals of convenient method, high success rate, and long preservation time.

[0021] The disclosed long-term preservation component for flexible electrodes places the flexible electrode, a silicon wafer serving as its carrier, and a connected circuit board together on a hydrophobic platform. The electrode portion and mesh structure of the flexible electrode adhere to the surface of the hydrophobic platform, allowing for rapid drying of the flexible electrode in air and thus enabling long-term preservation using the platform as a carrier. In some optional embodiments, the surface of the hydrophobic platform has a patterned rough structure, resulting in non-full-area contact between the flexible electrode and the platform. This ensures that the flexible electrode can be stably and securely attached to the platform without drifting, while also allowing for repeated, damage-free, and deformation-free detachment from the platform during retrieval.

[0022] The dry coupling assembly for the flexible electrode disclosed herein assembles the silicon wafer and circuit board connected to the pad portion at the rear end of the flexible electrode onto a fixed platform assembly with guide rails. A mesh structure for fixing a rigid carrier needle is designed at the front end of the flexible electrode. The guide rails guide the rigid carrier needle, thereby coupling the tip of the rigid carrier needle to the mesh structure of the flexible electrode. This achieves rapid dry coupling without entanglement or cross-linking between the coupled flexible electrode and the rigid carrier needle. The resulting dry coupling assembly can be stored in air for extended periods, is stable and reliable during transportation, is reversible, and can be decoupled and recoupled multiple times without damage.

[0023] The pre-implantation treatment method for the flexible electrode disclosed herein can easily and conveniently fabricate long-term preservation components or dry coupling components for the aforementioned flexible electrode. This method is compatible with microfabrication processes and is suitable for mass production. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Other features, objects, and advantages of this disclosure will become more apparent from the following detailed description of non-limiting embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a long-term preservation component for a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of a hydrophobic platform and a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a dry coupling assembly of a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the coupling structure between a flexible electrode and a rigid carrier needle according to an embodiment of this disclosure; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the steps of a pre-implantation treatment method for a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0025] Explanation of reference numerals / symbols in the attached diagram: 10: Flexible electrode; 11: Pad portion; 12: Electrode portion; 13: Mesh structure; 20: Silicon wafer; 30: Circuit board; 40: Hydrophobic platform; 51: Fixed platform; 52: Guide rail; 60: Rigid carrier pin. Detailed Implementation

[0026] The specific embodiments of this disclosure will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and examples. Those skilled in the art can easily understand the technical problems solved by this disclosure and the resulting technical effects through the content described herein. It is understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the relevant invention and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, for ease of description, only the parts relevant to the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings.

[0027] It should be readily understood that the meanings of “on,” “above,” and “on top of” in this disclosure should be interpreted in the broadest sense, such that “on” means not only “directly on something,” but also “on something” including intermediate components or layers existing between the two.

[0028] Furthermore, for ease of description, spatial relative terms such as “below,” “under,” “lower,” “above,” and “upper” may be used herein to describe the relationship of one element or component to another element or component shown in the accompanying drawings. In addition to the orientations described in the figures, spatial relative terms are also intended to cover different orientations of the device during use or operation. The device may be oriented in other ways (rotated 90° or otherwise), and the spatial relative descriptive terms used herein may be interpreted accordingly.

[0029] As used herein, the term "layer" refers to a portion of material comprising a region of a certain thickness. A layer may extend over the entirety of an underlying or upper layer structure, or may have a extent smaller than that of the underlying or upper layer structure. Furthermore, a layer may be a region of a homogeneous or heterogeneous continuous structure with a thickness less than that of the continuous structure. For example, a layer may be located between the top and bottom surfaces of a continuous structure, or between any pair of horizontal planes therebetween. A layer may extend horizontally, vertically, and / or along a tapered surface. A substrate may be a single layer, which may include one or more layers, and / or may have one or more layers on, above, and / or below it. A single layer may include multiple layers. For example, a semiconductor layer may include one or more doped or undoped semiconductor layers, and may have the same or different materials.

[0030] As used herein, the term "substrate" refers to the material on which subsequent material layers are added. The substrate itself may be patterned. The material added on top of the substrate may be patterned or may remain unpatterned. Furthermore, the substrate may comprise a wide variety of semiconductor materials, such as silicon, silicon carbide, gallium nitride, germanium, gallium arsenide, indium phosphide, etc. Alternatively, the substrate may be made of a non-conductive material, such as glass, plastic, or sapphire wafers. Further alternatively, the substrate may have semiconductor devices or circuits formed therein.

[0031] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., depicted in the accompanying drawings are merely for illustrative purposes to aid those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content described herein, and are not intended to limit the implementation conditions of this disclosure. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in proportions, or adjustments to the size, without affecting the effectiveness and purpose of this disclosure, should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed herein. Furthermore, the terms such as "above," "first," "second," and "a" used in this specification are merely for clarity of description and are not intended to limit the scope of this disclosure. Changes or adjustments to their relative relationships, without substantially altering the technical content, should also be considered within the scope of this disclosure's implementation.

[0032] It should also be noted that the longitudinal section corresponding to the embodiments of this disclosure can be the section corresponding to the front view direction, the transverse section can be the section corresponding to the right view direction, and the horizontal section can be the section corresponding to the top view direction.

[0033] Furthermore, the embodiments and features described herein can be combined with each other, unless otherwise specified. This disclosure will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0034] refer to Figure 1 , Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a long-term preservation component for a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 1 As shown, the long-term preservation component of this disclosure includes: a flexible electrode 10, a silicon wafer 20, a circuit board 30, and a hydrophobic platform 40.

[0035] The flexible electrode 10 includes a pad portion 11, an electrode portion 12, and a mesh structure 13 connected in sequence. The pad portion 11 is located at the rear end, and the mesh structure 13 is located at the front end. The silicon wafer 20 is disposed below the pad portion 11, connecting to and supporting the pad portion 11. The circuit board 30 is electrically connected to the pad portion 11. The hydrophobic platform 40 is disposed below the silicon wafer 20 to jointly support the silicon wafer 20, the circuit board 30, and the flexible electrode 10. The electrode portion 12 and the mesh structure 13 of the flexible electrode 10 are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform 40. The mesh structure 13 of the flexible electrode 10 is configured to be coupled to a rigid carrier pin.

[0036] Here, the flexible electrode 10 can be an implantable neural electrode, fabricated on a silicon wafer 20. From bottom to top, the flexible electrode 10 can mainly consist of a flexible substrate layer, a metal layer, and a flexible insulating layer. The flexible substrate layer and the flexible insulating layer can be made of flexible polymer materials with good biocompatibility and mechanical elasticity, such as SU-8 photoresist. The metal layer can be made of a metal material with good conductivity, such as gold. The thickness of the flexible electrode 10 can be in the micrometer range; for example, the thickness of the flexible substrate layer is 1.7 μm, the thickness of the flexible insulating layer is 1.7 μm, and the thickness of the metal layer can be hundreds of nanometers (e.g., 200-500 nm).

[0037] Here, the flexible electrode 10 differs from conventional flexible electrodes in that its front end is designed with a mesh structure 13 located before the electrode portion 12. The mesh structure 13 can be a porous grid structure or a honeycomb structure, and its overall shape includes, but is not limited to, circular, elliptical, or square shapes. Taking a circular shape as an example, its diameter can be in the range of tens of micrometers, such as 40±5μm. This mesh structure 13 is configured as a structure for fixing a rigid carrier, and can be used to achieve coupling connection with the rigid carrier needle in a dry coupling manner. Specifically, the tip of the rigid carrier needle can be inserted into any small hole on the mesh structure 13, and the diameter of the main body of the rigid carrier needle is larger than the diameter of the small hole, thereby hooking the mesh structure 13 onto the tip of the rigid carrier needle.

[0038] Typically, the fabricated flexible electrode 10 is connected to the silicon wafer 20 via a sacrificial layer, which includes, but is not limited to, a metal oxide film that can be removed by wet processing. In the long-term preservation assembly disclosed herein, the pad portion 11 of the flexible electrode 10 is still connected to the silicon wafer 20 via the sacrificial layer, but its electrode portion 12 and mesh structure 13 have been detached from the silicon wafer 20 and instead attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform 40, so as to facilitate rapid drying using the hydrophobic platform 40 and to achieve long-term preservation using the hydrophobic platform 40.

[0039] In some alternative implementations, refer to Figure 2 , Figure 2 This is a cross-sectional structural diagram of a hydrophobic platform and a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 2 As shown, the surface of the hydrophobic platform 40 has a patterned rough structure, resulting in a non-full-area contact between the flexible substrate of the flexible electrode 10 and the hydrophobic platform 40. Therefore, through electrostatic adsorption or weak adhesion between the flexible substrate of the flexible electrode 10 and the hydrophobic platform 40, the flexible electrode 10 can be stably and securely attached to the hydrophobic platform 40 without drifting. Simultaneously, it can be detached from the hydrophobic platform 40 multiple times without damage or deformation during use. Because the hydrophobic platform 40 has the capability for multiple non-destructive detachment and reattachment, it supports reuse.

[0040] In some alternative embodiments, the hydrophobic platform 40 includes a hydrophobic material layer, the material of which is selected from at least one of the following hydrophobic materials: cleanroom cloth, PET (polyethylene terephthalate), UV tape (ultraviolet curing tape), heat release tape, release paper, or silicone paper.

[0041] In some alternative implementations, the hydrophobic platform 40 can be a multi-layered structure, which, in addition to the hydrophobic material layer, may also include a more rigid support material layer that can provide support.

[0042] refer to Figure 3 and Figure 4 , Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the dry coupling assembly of a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the coupling structure between a flexible electrode and a rigid carrier needle according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the dry coupling assembly of this disclosure includes: a fixed platform assembly, a silicon wafer 20, a flexible electrode 10 and a circuit board 30, and a rigid carrier pin 60.

[0043] The fixed platform assembly includes a fixed platform 51 and a guide rail 52 embedded on the surface of the fixed platform 51; the silicon wafer 20 is assembled on the fixed platform 51; the flexible electrode 10 includes a pad portion 11, an electrode portion 12 and a mesh structure 13 connected in sequence, wherein the pad portion 11 located at the rear end is fixedly connected to the silicon wafer 20; the circuit board 30 is assembled on the fixed platform 51 and electrically connected to the pad portion 11 of the flexible electrode 10; the main body of the rigid carrier pin 60 passes through the guide rail 52, and its tip and tail are exposed on the guide rail 52, and its tip is coupled to the mesh structure 13 of the flexible electrode 10; wherein the electrode portion 12 of the flexible electrode 10 is in a suspended state without support.

[0044] here, Figure 3 The dry coupling component shown is equivalent to... Figure 1 After the hydrophobic platform 40 in the long-term preservation component shown is removed, it is assembled onto the fixed platform component and then coupled to the rigid carrier pin 60.

[0045] In some alternative embodiments, the rigid carrier needle 60 is a pointed metal microfilament with a diameter of 50-100 μm, and its material includes, but is not limited to, tungsten wire. In this way, the tip of the rigid carrier needle 60 can be well coupled and connected to the mesh structure 13 of the flexible electrode 10. Furthermore, since the diameter of the rigid carrier needle 60 is less than 100 μm, it is a relatively small size, which helps to reduce tissue damage during implantation into biological tissue.

[0046] In some alternative embodiments, the guide rail 52 may be a glass tube (or a tubular component of other materials) with a diameter of 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm. Its inner diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the rigid carrier needle 60, which can both guide the rigid carrier needle 60 through and limit and fix the rigid carrier needle 60. The length of the guide rail 52 is less than the length of the rigid carrier needle 60.

[0047] In some alternative embodiments, the fixing platform 51 may be fabricated from a thermoplastic polymer material via 3D printing. For example, the material used for the fixing platform 51 may be polylactic acid.

[0048] In some alternative embodiments, the upper surface of the fixing platform 51 may have an elongated groove to allow the guide rail 52 to be embedded therein. Optionally, after the guide rail 52 is embedded in the elongated groove, its upper surface is flush with the upper surface of the fixing platform 51 to allow the silicon wafer 20 to be placed on it.

[0049] In some alternative embodiments, the mounting platform 51 has assembly areas adapted to the shapes of the silicon wafer 20 and the circuit board 30, respectively.

[0050] In some alternative implementations, the mounting platform 51 is assembled and connected to the silicon wafer 20 and the circuit board 30 respectively by adhesive materials.

[0051] The dry coupling assembly for the flexible electrode disclosed herein achieves rapid dry coupling by designing a mesh structure 13 at the front end of the flexible electrode 10 and guiding a rigid carrier needle 60 using a guide rail 52 on a fixed platform 51. The tip of the rigid carrier needle 60 is coupled to the mesh structure 13 of the flexible electrode 10. Furthermore, the coupled flexible electrode 10 and rigid carrier needle 60 do not become entangled or cross-linked. The resulting dry coupling assembly can be stored in air for extended periods, is stable and reliable during transportation, is reversible, and can be decoupled and recoupled multiple times without damage. It can also be used for electrode implantation at any time.

[0052] refer to Figure 5 , Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the steps of a pre-implantation treatment method for a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of this disclosure. Figure 5 As shown, a pre-implantation treatment method for a flexible electrode according to an embodiment of this disclosure includes the following steps: S1: An electrode silicon wafer assembly is provided, comprising a silicon wafer and a flexible electrode fabricated on the silicon wafer; the flexible electrode includes a pad portion, an electrode portion, and a mesh structure connected in sequence. Typically, the flexible electrode is formed on the silicon wafer, and in the electrode silicon wafer assembly, the flexible electrode and the silicon wafer are connected by a sacrificial layer.

[0053] S2: A circuit board is provided to electrically connect the pad portion of the flexible electrode to the circuit board. Here, the silicon wafer can be placed on a work platform, and the pad portion of the flexible electrode can be electrically connected to the circuit board through a soldering process.

[0054] S3: Separate the electrode portion and mesh structure of the flexible electrode from the silicon wafer while maintaining the connection between the pad portion and the silicon wafer. Here, the electrode portion and mesh structure of the flexible electrode can be separated from the silicon wafer by selectively removing the portions of the sacrificial layer corresponding to the electrode portion and mesh structure. In some optional embodiments, the sacrificial layer can be selectively etched away using an etching solution. After etching, it can be transferred to water to clean off any remaining etching solution. After etching and cleaning, the electrode portion and mesh structure of the flexible electrode are released from the silicon wafer and can float on the water surface.

[0055] S4: Cut and remove the front section of the silicon wafer corresponding to the electrode portion and the mesh structure. For example, scribe lines can be made on the silicon wafer using a wafer scriber, and then the wafer can be manually broken along the scribe lines. Alternatively, the front section of the silicon wafer can be cut and removed using a cutting device.

[0056] S5: Provide a hydrophobic platform positioned beneath a silicon wafer to jointly support the silicon wafer, circuit board, and flexible electrodes, wherein the electrode portion and mesh structure of the flexible electrodes are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform; and perform a drying process on the flexible electrodes attached to the hydrophobic platform, such as drying in a fume hood or other methods, to obtain... Figure 1 The diagram shows a long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode.

[0057] In some alternative implementations, after step S5, the method of this disclosure further includes a dry coupling process prior to implantation, comprising the following steps: S6: Before implantation, remove the long-term preservation component of the flexible electrode, remove its hydrophobic platform, and assemble the silicon wafer and circuit board onto a fixed platform assembly. The fixed platform assembly includes a fixed platform and a guide rail on it. After assembly, the electrode part and mesh structure of the flexible electrode are in an unsupported suspended state, and the guide rail is located between the silicon wafer and the fixed platform. S7: A rigid carrier needle is provided. In a dry environment, the rigid carrier needle is guided to move via a guide rail, completing dry coupling between the tip of the rigid carrier needle and the mesh structure of the flexible electrode. For example, a micro-motion device can be used to move the rigid carrier needle, causing it to pass into the guide rail and its tip to pass through the guide rail. For example, the tip of the rigid carrier needle can be coupled to the mesh structure of the flexible electrode manually. This achieves the desired result. Figure 3 The dry coupling assembly of the flexible electrode is shown.

[0058] During implantation, the precursor portion of the flexible electrode, including the mesh structure and electrode portion, is implanted into the biological tissue using a rigid carrier needle, and then the rigid carrier needle is withdrawn. The silicon wafer and fixation platform assembly connected to the rear end of the flexible electrode do not need to be removed.

[0059] The above describes the long-term preservation component of the flexible electrode, the dry coupling component of the flexible electrode, and the pre-implantation treatment method of the flexible electrode proposed in this disclosure.

[0060] The technical solution disclosed herein can achieve the following beneficial effects: 1. Long-term preservation: The hydrophobic platform supports the flexible electrode, allowing for months of dry storage. Furthermore, the hydrophobic platform can have a patterned rough surface, enabling a non-full-area contact design to prevent the flexible electrode from sticking together and reduce electrode deformation and damage.

[0061] 2. Dry coupling: The coupling process is a dry operation, which does not require a liquid medium, thus reducing the risk of contamination and improving operational efficiency.

[0062] 3. Easy to assemble: The flexible electrode is supported by hydrophobic platforms or fixed platform components, which effectively ensures that the flexible electrode structure does not deform such as folding, curling or sticking; and a guide rail structure is used to guide the rigid carrier needle, which facilitates assembly.

[0063] 4. Structural compatibility: The mesh structure of the flexible electrode is adapted to micron-level rigid carrier needles, ensuring stable coupling and easy detachment after implantation.

[0064] 5. The coupling and decoupling processes can be reused multiple times without loss.

[0065] 6. Process integration: Compatible with microfabrication processes, suitable for batch production.

[0066] 7. Minimal implantation damage: By using a thinner rigid carrier needle for implantation, and because it is a dry coupling method, the rigid carrier needle can be withdrawn directly after implantation. Therefore, tissue damage during implantation is minimal.

[0067] Traditional techniques that use liquid nitrogen to freeze electrodes for implantation are prone to damaging neurons or other cells due to the low temperature.

[0068] Traditional techniques involve directly immersing the neural electrode in PEG (polyethylene glycol)-4000 at 120°C and then pulling it out and cooling it to room temperature. The PEG-4000 on the electrode surface solidifies rapidly at room temperature, thus enabling implantation. However, the dissolved PEG may form a hypertonic solution, which could potentially affect the osmotic pressure of the brain.

[0069] The technical solution disclosed herein has a wide range of applications. This disclosure can be primarily applied to the fields of biomedical engineering, neuroscience, and clinical medicine, and specifically applicable to: Neuroscience research: Provides key technical support for in vivo and long-term neuroelectrophysiological experiments, such as brain-computer interfaces, neural circuit function analysis, and learning and memory mechanism research. It is particularly suitable for experimental models with high requirements for chronic implantation stability and biocompatibility.

[0070] Neurological disease diagnosis and treatment: As a component of high-performance implantable medical devices, it can be applied to clinical scenarios such as epileptic focus localization, deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease, and spinal cord injury rehabilitation, to achieve high signal-to-noise ratio, long-term stable neural signal recording or precise electrical stimulation intervention.

[0071] Cutting-edge brain-computer interface technology: Providing electrode implantation solutions for next-generation high-channel, long-term safe brain-computer interface systems, and promoting their practical application in fields such as motor function reconstruction and human-computer interaction.

[0072] The technical solution disclosed herein has broad application prospects. By solving the key technical bottlenecks in the implantation and long-term preservation of flexible electrodes, this disclosure has broad application prospects and huge market potential. The "dry coupling" and "long-term preservation" technologies provided by this disclosure change the traditional mode of relying on liquid environment or temporary operation, greatly simplifying the preoperative preparation process and improving the standardization and reliability of operation. This will strongly promote the transformation of flexible electrodes from laboratory research to large-scale, commercial clinical application. At the same time, the technical solution disclosed herein can be seamlessly integrated with existing microfabrication processes, which is conducive to achieving standardization and mass production. By achieving reliable implantation and long-term stable operation of flexible electrodes, it is expected to significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy and treatment effect of neurological diseases, improve patients' quality of life, and has significant social benefits and medical value.

[0073] Although this disclosure has been described and illustrated with reference to specific embodiments thereof, such descriptions and illustrations are not limiting of this disclosure. It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made and equivalent elements can be substituted within embodiments without departing from the true spirit and scope of this disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Illustrations may not be drawn to scale. Differences may exist between the technical representation in this disclosure and actual implementation due to variables in the manufacturing process, etc. Other embodiments of this disclosure may exist that are not specifically described. The description and illustrations should be considered illustrative rather than restrictive. Modifications can be made to adapt particular circumstances, materials, composition, methods, or processes to the objectives, spirit, and scope of this disclosure. All such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims. While the methods disclosed herein have been described with reference to specific operations performed in a particular order, it should be understood that these operations can be combined, subdivided, or reordered to form equivalent methods without departing from the teachings of this disclosure. Therefore, unless specifically indicated herein, the order and grouping of operations do not limit this disclosure.

Claims

1. A long-term preservation component for a flexible electrode, characterized in that, include: A flexible electrode includes a pad portion, an electrode portion, and a mesh structure connected in sequence, wherein the pad portion is located at the rear end and the mesh structure is located at the front end; A silicon wafer is disposed below the pad portion, connecting to and supporting the pad portion; The circuit board is electrically connected to the pad portion; A hydrophobic platform is disposed below the silicon wafer to jointly support the silicon wafer, the circuit board and the flexible electrode. The electrode portion of the flexible electrode and the mesh structure are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform. The mesh structure of the flexible electrode is configured to be coupled to a rigid carrier needle.

2. The long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surface of the hydrophobic platform has a patterned rough structure, which makes the contact between the flexible electrode and the hydrophobic platform a non-full-area contact.

3. The long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material of the hydrophobic platform is selected from at least one of the following: cleanroom cloth, PET, UV tape, heat release tape, release paper, or silicone paper.

4. The long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The diameter of the mesh structure is 40±5μm.

5. The long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pad portion of the flexible electrode and the silicon wafer are connected by a sacrificial layer.

6. A dry coupling assembly for a flexible electrode, characterized in that, include: A fixed platform assembly includes a fixed platform and a guide rail embedded in the surface of the fixed platform; Silicon wafers are assembled on the fixed platform; A flexible electrode includes a pad portion, an electrode portion, and a mesh structure connected in sequence, wherein the pad portion located at the rear end is fixedly connected to the silicon wafer; A circuit board is assembled on the fixed platform and electrically connected to the pad portion of the flexible electrode; A rigid carrier needle, the main body of which passes through the guide rail, with its tip and tail exposed on the guide rail, and its tip coupled to the mesh structure of the flexible electrode. The electrode portion of the flexible electrode is in a suspended state without support.

7. The dry coupling assembly for the flexible electrode according to claim 6, characterized in that, The diameter of the mesh structure is 40±5μm.

8. The dry coupling assembly for the flexible electrode according to claim 7, characterized in that, The rigid carrier needle is a metal microfilament with a tip and a diameter of 50~100μm.

9. The dry coupling assembly for the flexible electrode according to claim 8, characterized in that, The guide rail is a glass tube with a diameter of 0.9 mm to 1.1 mm.

10. The dry coupling assembly for the flexible electrode according to claim 6, characterized in that, The fixed platform is fabricated from thermoplastic polymer material through 3D printing.

11. A method for pre-implantation treatment of a flexible electrode, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1: An electrode silicon wafer assembly is provided, which includes a silicon wafer and a flexible electrode fabricated on the silicon wafer; the flexible electrode includes a pad portion, an electrode portion and a mesh structure connected in sequence. S2: Provide a circuit board for electrically connecting the pad portion of the flexible electrode to the circuit board; S3: Separate the electrode portion and the mesh structure of the flexible electrode from the silicon wafer while maintaining the connection between the pad portion and the silicon wafer; S4: Cut off and remove the front section of the silicon wafer corresponding to the electrode portion and the mesh structure; S5: Provide a hydrophobic platform, which is disposed below the silicon wafer to jointly support the silicon wafer, the circuit board, and the flexible electrode, wherein the electrode portion and the mesh structure of the flexible electrode are attached to the surface of the hydrophobic platform; and dry the flexible electrode attached to the hydrophobic platform to obtain a long-term preservation component for the flexible electrode.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, Following step S5, the method further includes: S6: Remove the hydrophobic platform and assemble the silicon wafer and the circuit board onto a fixed platform assembly. The fixed platform assembly includes a fixed platform and a guide rail disposed thereon. After assembly, the electrode portion of the flexible electrode and the mesh structure are in a suspended state without support. The guide rail is located between the silicon wafer and the fixed platform. S7: A rigid carrier needle is provided. In a dry environment, the rigid carrier needle is guided to move by the guide rail, and the tip of the rigid carrier needle is dry coupled to the mesh structure of the flexible electrode, thereby obtaining a dry coupling assembly such as the flexible electrode.

13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that, In the electrode silicon wafer assembly, the flexible electrode and the silicon wafer are connected by a sacrificial layer. Step S3 further includes: selectively removing the portion of the sacrificial layer corresponding to the electrode portion and the mesh structure, so that the electrode portion of the flexible electrode and the mesh structure are separated from the silicon wafer.

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