Probe for medical application

Claim 2

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; means including a cover layer having a thickness of 0.5 to 10 μm. carried on the supporting surface of said substrate, said means and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a chamber which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of said cover layer which is spaced from the supporting surface by not more than about 30 μm., the chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe; an electrode or transducer which is substantially less than 30 μm. in thickness carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside the chamber; means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside the chamber, and operable to conduct a signal between said electrode or transducer and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 3

A probe in accordance with claim 1 wherein the chamber contains a medium which is an electrolyte.

Claim 4

A probe in accordance with claim 2 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries an electrode, and which additionally includes a second electrode which forms an electro-chemical cell with the electrolyte and the first of said electrodes.

Claim 5

A probe in accordance with claim 2 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries a transducer, and which additionally includes a second transducer which forms an electro-chemical cell with the electrolyte and the first of said transducers.

Claim 6

A probe in accordance with claim 1 wherein the chamber contains a medium which is an ion exchanger.

Claim 7

A probe in accordance with claim 5 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries an electrode, and which additionally includes a second electrode which forms an electro-chemical cell with the ion exchanger and the first of said electrodes.

Claim 8

A probe in accordance with claim 5 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries a transducer, and which additionally includes a second transducer which forms an electro-chemical cell with the ion exchanger and the first of said transducers.

Claim 9

A probe in accordance with claim 1 wherein the chamber contains a medium which is an enzyme.

Claim 10

A probe in accordance with claim 1 wherein said cover layer is composed of a material selected from the group consisting of SiO x , Si 3 N 4 , SiO y N z , TiO 2 and Ta 2 O 5 , where x is at least 1 and not greater than 2, y is greater than 0 and less than 2 and z is greater than 0 and less than 1.33.

Claim 11

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; a cover layer; means supporting said cover layer in a predetermined spaced relationship with the supporting surface of said substrate, said means, said cover layer and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a chamber which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of said cover layer which is spaced from the supporting surface, the chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe, the supporting surface of said substrate being sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to accommodate an electrode or transducer sufficiently large to minimize recording disturbances; an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside the chamber, said electrode or transducer being sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to minimize recording disturbances, and being in a predetermined position relative to the aperture; and means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside the chamber, and operable to conduct a signal between said electrode or transducer and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 12

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; a cover layer; means supporting said cover layer in a predetermined spaced relationship with the supporting surface of said substrate, said means, said cover layer and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a chamber which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of said cover layer which is spaced from the supporting surface, the chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe, the supporting surface of said substrate being sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to accommodate an electrode or transducer sufficiently large to minimize recording disturbances; an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside the chamber, said electrode or transducer being sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to minimize recording disturbances, and being in a predetermined position relative to the aperture; and means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside the chamber, and operable to conduct a signal between said electrode or transducer and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 13

A probe in accordance with claim 10 wherein the chamber contains a gaseous, liquid or solid medium which comprises an electrolyte.

Claim 14

A probe in accordance with claim 11 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries an electrode, and which additionally includes a second electrode which forms an electro-chemical cell with the electrolyte and the first of said electrodes.

Claim 15

A probe in accordance with claim 11 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries a transducer, and which additionally includes a second transducer which forms an electro-chemical cell with the electrolyte and the first of said transducers.

Claim 16

A probe in accordance with claim 10 wherein the chamber contains a gaseous, liquid or solid medium which comprises an ion exchanger.

Claim 17

A probe in accordance with claim 14 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries an electrode, and which additionally includes a second electrode which forms an electro-chemical cell with said gaseous, liquid or solid medium and the first of said electrodes.

Claim 18

A probe in accordance with claim 14 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries a transducer, and which additionally includes a second transducer which forms an electro-chemical cell with said gaseous, liquid or solid medium and the first of said transducers.

Claim 19

A probe in accordance with claim 10 wherein the chamber contains a gaseous, liquid or solid medium which comprises an enzyme.

Claim 20

A probe in accordance with claim 17 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries an electrode, and which additionally includes a second electrode which forms an electro-chemical cell with said gaseous, liquid or solid medium and the first of said electrodes.

Claim 21

A probe in accordance with claim 17 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate carries a transducer, and which additionally includes a second transducer which forms an electro-chemical cell with said gaseous, liquid or solid medium and the first of said transducers.

Claim 22

A probe in accordance with claim 10 wherein said cover layer is composed of a material having the properties of one selected from the group consisting of SiO x , Si 3 N 4 , SiO y N z , TiO 2 and T a2 O 5 , where x is at least 1 and not greater than 2, y is greater than 0 and less than 2 and z is greater than 0 and less than 1.33.

Claim 23

A probe in accordance with claim 10 which additionally includes a second cover layer, means supporting said second cover layer in a predetermined spaced relationship with the supporting surface of said substrate, said means, said second cover layer and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a second chamber which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of said second cover layer which is spaced from the supporting surface, said second chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe, an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside said second chamber, means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside the second chamber, and operable to conduct a signal between said electrode or transducer in the second chamber and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 24

A probe in accordance with claim 21 wherein the supporting surface of said substrate within the second chamber is sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to accommodate an electrode or transducer sufficiently large to minimize recording disturbances, and wherein said electrode or transducer in the second chamber is sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to minimize recording disturbances.

Claim 25

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; a plurality of cover layers; means supporting each of said cover layers in a predetermined spaced relationship with the supporting surface of said substrate, said means, said cover layers and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a plurality of chambers, each of which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of said cover layer which is spaced from the supporting surface, each chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe, the supporting surface of said substrate within each of the chambers being sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to accommodate an electrode or transducer sufficiently large to minimize recording disturbances; an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside each of the chambers; means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside each of the chambers, and operable to conduct a signal between each of said electrodes or transducers and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 26

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; a plurality of cover layers; means supporting each of said cover layers in a predetermined spaced relationship with the supporting surface of said substrate, said means, said cover layers and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a plurality of chambers, each of which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of said cover layer which is spaced from the supporting surface, each chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe, the supporting surface of said substrate within each of the chambers being sufficiently large, relative to the size of the aperture, to accommodate an electrode or transducer sufficiently large to minimize recording disturbances; an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside each of the chambers; means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside each of the chambers, and operable to conduct a signal between each of said electrodes or transducers and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 27

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; means including a plurality of cover layers carried in a predetermined spaced relationship on the supporting surface of said substrate, said means and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a plurality of chambers, each of which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of one of said cover layers which is spaced from the supporting surface, each chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe; an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside each of the chambers; means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside each of the chambers, and operable to conduct a signal between each of said electrodes or transducers and registering or influencing circuitry.

Claim 28

A probe for registering or influencing tissue activities and properties of chemical samples comprising a substrate having a supporting surface; means including a plurality of cover layers carried in a predetermined spaced relationship on the supporting surface of said substrate, said means and a portion of the supporting surface of said substrate forming a plurality of chambers, each of which is bounded on one side by the supporting surface and on an opposed side by a wall of one of said cover layers which is spaced from the supporting surface, each chamber being closed except for an aperture in the last-named wall which enables communication between the chamber and the exterior of the probe; an electrode or transducer carried on the supporting surface of said substrate inside each of the chambers; means including a conductor mounted on the probe, inside each of the chambers, and operable to conduct a signal between each of said electrodes or transducers and registering or influencing circuitry.