Claims
- 1. A retinal implant comprising:
a device for implantation in an eye for stimulation of a retina of the eye; and a diamond-like carbon film deposited on at least a portion of the device.
- 2. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the device is suitable for epi-retinal implantation.
- 3. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the device is suitable for sub-retinal implantation.
- 4. The retinal implant of claim 3, wherein the sub-retinal implant comprises at least one photovoltaic device.
- 5. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like carbon film comprises at least one opening therein.
- 6. The retinal implant of claim 5, wherein the device comprises at least one electrode and the at least one opening in the diamond-like carbon film is aligned with the at least one electrode.
- 7. The retinal implant of claim 5, wherein at least one electrode is formed within the at least one opening in the diamond-like carbon film.
- 8. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of diamond-like carbon film is electrically conductive.
- 9. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like carbon film is substantially transparent to wavelengths of visible light.
- 10. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like carbon film is substantially transparent to wavelengths of infrared light.
- 11. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like carbon film comprises a plurality of structurally different diamond-like carbon films.
- 12. The retinal implant of claim 1, wherein the diamond-like carbon film comprises a structurally graded diamond-like carbon film.
- 13. A retinal implant provided by the process of:
providing a device for implantation in an eye for stimulation of a retina of the eye; forming a carbonaceous cathodic arc plasma; and directing the plasma to the device to deposit a diamond-like carbon film on at least a portion of the device.
- 14. The retinal implant of claim 13, wherein the process further comprises:
magnetically filtering the plasma prior to deposition of the diamond-like carbon film on the device.
- 15. The retinal implant of claim 13, wherein the process further comprises:
electrically biasing the device during deposition of the diamond-like carbon film on the device.
- 16. The retinal implant of claim 15, further comprising electrically biasing the device in a pulsed fashion.
- 17. The retinal implant of claim 13, wherein the process further comprises:
removing at least a portion of the diamond-like carbon film to create at least one opening therein.
- 18. The retinal implant of claim 13, wherein the process further comprises:
rendering at least a portion of the diamond-like carbon film electrically conductive.
- 19. A method for providing a retinal implant, the method comprising:
providing a device for implantation in an eye for stimulation of a retina of the eye; and depositing a diamond-like carbon film on at least a portion of the device.
- 20. The method of claim 19, wherein depositing the diamond-like carbon film further comprises:
forming a carbonaceous cathodic arc plasma; and directing the plasma to the device to deposit the diamond-like carbon film.
- 21. The method of claim 20, wherein depositing the diamond-like carbon film further comprises:
magnetically filtering the plasma prior to deposition of the diamond-like carbon film on the device.
- 22. The method of claim 19, wherein depositing the diamond-like carbon film further comprises:
electrically biasing the device during deposition of the diamond-like carbon film on the device.
- 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising electrically biasing the device in a pulsed fashion.
- 24. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
removing at least a portion of the diamond-like carbon film to form an opening therein.
- 25. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
rendering at least a portion of diamond-like carbon film electrically conductive.
- 26. The method of claim 19, wherein depositing the diamond-like carbon film further comprises depositing a diamond-like carbon film that is substantially transparent to wavelengths of visible light.
- 27. The method of claim 19, wherein depositing the diamond-like carbon film further comprises depositing a diamond-like carbon film that is substantially transparent to wavelengths of infrared light.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The instant application claims the benefit of Provisional U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 60/445,637, entitled “Subretinal Implant Using Diamond-Like Films” and filed Feb. 7, 2003, the entirety of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60445637 |
Feb 2003 |
US |