Implantable medical devices and methods of forming same

Abstract

Various embodiments of an implantable medical device system and methods of forming such systems are disclosed. In one or more embodiments, the implantable medical device system includes a housing, electronics disposed within the housing, and a feedthrough assembly attached to a sidewall of the housing and electrically coupled to the electronics. The feedthrough assembly can include a non-conductive substrate and a feedthrough. The feedthrough can include a via from an outer surface to an inner surface of the non-conductive substrate, a conductive material disposed in the via, and an external contact disposed over the via on the outer surface of the non-conductive substrate, where the external contact is electrically coupled to the conductive material disposed in the via. In one or more embodiments, the external contact is hermetically sealed to the outer surface of the non-conductive substrate by a laser bond surrounding the via.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming an implantable medical device comprising a housing and electronics disposed within the housing, wherein forming the implantable medical device comprises:
 forming a feedthrough assembly comprising a non-conductive substrate; and   attaching the feedthrough assembly to the housing by forming a laser bond between the feedthrough assembly and the housing that hermetically seals the feedthrough assembly to the housing.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein forming the feedthrough assembly comprises:
 forming a via through the non-conductive substrate, the non-conductive substrate comprising an outer surface and an inner surface;   forming a conductive material in the via that is electrically coupled to the external contact;   forming an external contact over the via, wherein the external contact is electrically coupled to the conductive material formed in the via; and   attaching the external contact to the outer surface of the non-conductive substrate by forming a laser bond that surrounds the via and hermetically seals the external contact to the outer surface of the non-conductive substrate.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising electrically coupling the external contact of the feedthrough assembly to the electronics in the housing. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the feedthrough assembly to the housing comprises attaching a weld ring of the feedthrough assembly to the housing by forming the laser bond between the weld ring and the housing that hermetically seals the feedthrough assembly to the housing. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein attaching the feedthrough assembly to the housing comprises attaching the non-conductive substrate of the feedthrough assembly to the housing by forming the laser bond between the non-conductive substrate and the housing that hermetically seals the feedthrough assembly to the housing. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising attaching a connector header to the housing of the implantable medical device, wherein a housing of the connector header surrounds the feedthrough assembly. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , inserting a proximal portion of a lead into a receptacle of the connector header such that a contact of the lead is electrically coupled to the feedthrough assembly.