Microneedle Electrical Isolation Structure for Unobstructed Skin Insertion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current chip-scale packaging techniques for microneedle-based electrochemical biosensors, such as wire-bonding and flip-chip methods, obstruct the microneedle surface and prevent reliable penetration due to increased standoff or misorientation, making it difficult to establish a spatially-defined electrical interface between the microneedle and the substrate.
Innovation Solution
Implementing insulating barriers around conductive microneedles to electrically isolate them from the substrate, allowing for a spatially-defined conductive conduit from the microneedle surface to the substrate's posterior surface, enabling unobstructed insertion and electrical probing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wire-bonding or flip-chip methods are used to establish electrical contact with the microneedle, then electrical interface is achieved, but the microneedle surface is obstructed and penetration of the stratum corneum is prevented
Solution Approach 1:
The patent routes electrical traces through the substrate thickness dimension rather than along the surface. Conductive traces are embedded within the substrate, extending from the microneedle base through the substrate to the posterior surface, eliminating surface-level electrical components that would obstruct microneedle insertion while maintaining reliable electrical contact.
Solution Approach 2:
The substrate itself serves as an intermediary medium that conducts electrical signals from the microneedle to the external circuitry. By using the substrate as the conductive pathway rather than separate wire bonds or surface traces, the patent eliminates the need for surface-mounted electrical components that would interfere with microneedle function.
2Reliability
If conductive traces are routed on the same surface as the microneedle to facilitate electrical communication, then electrical interface is established, but standoff is increased and microneedle insertion is interfered with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions electrical trace routing from the two-dimensional surface plane to the three-dimensional substrate interior. Traces are embedded within the substrate thickness, allowing electrical communication without adding surface-level standoff that would prevent microneedle tips from making contact with the skin surface.
3Reliability
If the substrate is flipped to facilitate electrical interface using flip-chip techniques, then electrical contact is achieved, but the microneedle structure is oriented away from the application site
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-configures the substrate with embedded conductive traces that extend to the posterior surface before final assembly. This preliminary routing of electrical pathways through the substrate eliminates the need to flip the device after microneedle attachment, maintaining proper microneedle orientation toward the application site throughout the packaging process.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for circumscribing an insulating barrier region around a singular conductive microneedle structure or plurality of conductive microneedle structures adhered to a fixed substrate for the purpose of spatially defining a conduit for the routing of an electrical signal from the surface of said microneedle or microneedles to the posterior surface of the substrate is disclosed herein. A microneedle-based electrochemical biosensors structure comprises a substrate, a microneedle biosensor, a primary electrically conductive element, a secondary electrically conductive element and an electrically insulative annular barrier.