Microchip for Drug Delivery

Ramille M. Capito
Leah Lucas
ME 395 MEMS Spring 2000
 Presentation Outline

I. Introduction: Why the use of a microchip?

II. Microchip Design/Microfabrication
III. Gold Dissolution
IV. Circuit Design
V. Power Source
VI. Conclusions
 Drug Delivery

Very important aspect of medical treatment.

Drug effectiveness directly related to the way in which

drugs are administered
--can make it very difficult to select the proper drug
delivery system.

Some therapies require that the drug be repeatedly

administered to the patient over a long period of time, or
in specific amounts at a time in order to maximize drug
effectiveness.
 Problems with Current Methods of
Drug Delivery

In many cases, patients often forget, are unwilling, or

are unable to take their medication

Some drugs too potent for systemic drug

delivery (intravenous) and may cause
more harm than good

Great advantage: a drug delivery device that is

capable of controlled, pulsatile or continuous release of
a wide variety of drugs and other therapeutics that can
be safely implanted inside the body
Other Drug Delivery Systems Attempting to
Control Drug Release
Polymeric devices:
Problem: too simple to have the ability to
precisely control the amount or rate of
drug released.

Electromechanically driven devices:

Problem: miniature power-driven
mechanical parts required to either
retract, dispense, or pump in order
to deliver drugs in the body
complicated and are subject to
breakdown (i.e. fatigue or fracture).
--complexity and size restrictions
unsuitable to deliver more than a few drugs
or drug mixtures at a time.
 What is Novel About this Microchip?

It is the first device of its kind enabling the

storage of one or more compounds inside of
the microchip in any form (solid, liquid, or
gel), with the release of the compounds
achieved on demand and with no moving
parts.
 Microchip Design
simple to use and manufacture Each reservoir is capped with a
conductive membrane (i.e. gold)
biocompatible and small and wired with the final circuitry
enough to be implantable in controlled by a microprocessor.
the human body

A strong, non-
degradable, easily etched
substrate that is
impermeable to the
delivered chemicals and
non-degradable to the
surrounding environment
within the body is silicon. The substrate contains multiple reservoirs capable of
holding chemicals in the solid, liquid, or gel form.
delivery of drugs for weeks or years at a time
varying dosagesshould release substances in a
controlled dependable manner
 Microfabrication Process
1.) Deposit layer of insulating material,
silicon nitride (0.12 mm), onto the
substrate by PECVD

2.) Pattern by photolithography and

square reservoirs are etched by ECR-
enhanced RIE

3.) With potassium hydroxide solution at

85C, anisotropically etch square
pyramidal reservoirs into the silicon along
the (111) crystal

4.) Invert and deposit gold electrodes (0.3-

0.5 mm thick). Pattern by E-beam
evaporation and liftoff.
5.) Deposit electrode protective coating,
silicon dioxide, by PECVD. Silicon dioxide
over anode, cathode and bonding pads are
etched with ECR-enhanced RIE to expose
gold film.

6.) Remove SiN layer in the inside of

reservoir by RIE to expose gold
membrane.

7.) Fill reservoirs by inkjet printing

through opening (500 mm x 500 mm)
Reservoir Filling

PV = nRT

Substrate

Vapor
Bubble Heater

Drug
 Microfabrication Process (contd)

8.) Bottom of reservoirs capped with a

silicon nitride coating

9.) Device can now be patterned with IC

control circuitry and thin-film battery.
 Why the Gold Membrane?

is chosen as the model membrane material:

It is easily deposited and patterned

Gold has a low reactivity with other substances and resists spontaneous corrosion in
many solutions over the entire pH range.

The presence of a small amount of chloride ion creates an electric potential region
which favors the formation of soluble gold chloride complexes.

Holding the anode potential in this corrosion region enables reproducible gold
dissolution.
--Potentials below this region are too low to cause appreciable corrosion, whereas
potentials above this region result in gas evolution and formation of a passivating
gold oxide layer that causes corrosion to slow or stop.

Gold has also been shown to be a biocompatible material.