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Corrosion of silicon integrated circuits and lifetime predictions in implantable electronic devices
Open accessAbstract
Corrosion is a prime concern for active implantable devices. In this paper we review the principles underlying the concepts of hermetic packages and encapsulation, used to protect implanted electronics, some of which remain widely overlooked. We discuss how technological advances have created a need to update the way we evaluate the suitability of both protection methods. We demonstrate how lifetime predictability is lost for very small hermetic packages and introduce a single parameter to compare different packages, with an equation to calculate the minimum sensitivity required from a test method to guarantee a given lifetime. In the second part of this paper, we review the literature on the corrosion of encapsulated integrated circuits (ICs) and, following a new analysis of published data, we propose an equation for the pre-corrosion lifetime of implanted ICs, and discuss the influence of the temperature, relative humidity, encapsulation and field-strength. As any new protection will be tested under accelerated conditions, we demonstrate the sensitivity of acceleration factors to some inaccurately known parameters. These results are relevant for any application of electronics working in a moist environment. Our comparison of encapsulation and hermetic packages suggests that both concepts may be suitable for future implants.
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“Implant packaging methods to provide a biocompatiblity and corrosion protection through hermetic packages and coatings and non-hermetic encapsulants aim to offer device lifetimes of years to decades [213], [214], [215].”
From Active Neural Interface Circuits and Systems for Selective Control of Peripheral Nerves: A Review (2024) · cites this paper as [214]
In the citing paper
“Furthermore, implantable ASICs, should be designed such that the current density through their passivation layer is limited, as this has been shown to affect the lifetime (Vanhoestenberghe and Donaldson 2013).”
From Realizing flexible bioelectronic medicines for accessing the peripheral nerves – technology considerations (2018) · cites this paper as Vanhoestenberghe and Donaldson 2013
In the citing paper
“Furthermore, rigid packages are likely to damage the fragile targeted nerves, while it has been shown that for hermetic packages with volumes less than 1mm3, long-life predictability is lost (Vanhoestenberghe and Donaldson 2013).”
From Realizing flexible bioelectronic medicines for accessing the peripheral nerves – technology considerations (2018) · cites this paper as Vanhoestenberghe and Donaldson 2013
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Metadata
- Authors
- Vanhoestenberghe, A., & Donaldson, N.
- Affiliations
- University College London (GB)
- Venue
- Journal of Neural Engineering
- Publisher
- IOP Publishing
- Published
- 2013-05-20
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 031002
- ISSN
- 1741-2552 (ISSN-L)
- 1741-2560
- OpenAlex
- W1987796903
- Cited by
- 140
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 6 · 2025: 9 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 10 · 2022: 6 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 18 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 12 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 4
- FWCI
- 1.02
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- discovery.ucl.ac.uk
- Licence
- Locations
- Journal of Neural Engineering (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- European Commission (258654)
- Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/F009593/1)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neuroscience and Neural Engineering
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Electrical and Electronic Engineering › Electronic Packaging and Soldering Technologies
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Biomedical Engineering › Wireless Body Area Networks
- Keywords
- corrosion, silicon integrated circuits, implantable electronics, hermetic packaging, encapsulation, lifetime prediction, accelerated testing, acceleration factor, relative humidity, temperature effects, field strength, moisture protection
- MeSH terms
- Corrosion, Electronics, Medical, Materials Testing, Semiconductors, Silicon, Equipment Failure Analysis, Prostheses and Implants, Coated Materials, Biocompatible
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