Selective Edge Rounding of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Film Using UV Laser for Implantable Electrode Package.

Cyclic Olefin Copolymer is emerging as a packaging material for implantable electrodes due to its physical properties such as low water absorption rate and low water vapor permeability. The electrode-tissue interface is often regarded as a major focus of implantable electrodes, but its packaging should also be considered thoroughly since it directly contacts the adjoining body cells. Therefore, eliminating any sharp boundaries or edges around the package would be beneficial to minimize potential inflammatory responses caused by physical/mechanical stresses. To smooth both inner/outer edges of a cyclic olefin copolymer packaging, an optimal UV laser condition was investigated by varying its marking speed and iterations. Clinical relevance - This establishes a method that can selectively smooth the edges around a cyclic olefin copolymer pack-aged implantable electrodes for reduced mechanical mismatch after insertion.