Adhesion and moisture barrier characteristics of roller-cast polydimethylsiloxane encapsulants for implantable microsystems

Poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) is a highly attractive polymer to encapsulate implantable micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) due to its biocompatibility, simplicity in processing, and low Young's Modulus. However, conventional deposition processes introduce defects that prevent the use of PDMS as a long term packaging material. In order to address these issues, we have developed a novel roller-casting process for depositing PDMS. This paper presents the findings of a study to simultaneously investigate the adhesion properties and moisture barrier characteristics of roller-cast, multilayered PDMS encapsulants subjected to testing in saline at 85
^o
C.