An implantable medical device is provided for controlled delivery or
exposure of reservoir contents. The device may include a substrate; a
plurality of discrete reservoirs in the substrate, wherein the reservoirs
have interior walls and at least one opening in the substrate; reservoir
contents disposed in the reservoirs; a reservoir cap closing the at least
one opening of each of the reservoirs to seal the reservoir contents in
each of the reservoirs; and control circuitry for selectively
disintegrating the reservoir caps to release or expose the reservoir
contents in vivo, wherein the interior walls of the reservoirs comprise a
material to protect the substrate in vivo. For example, to enhance the
resistance of the substrate to etching in vivo, the interior sidewalls of
the reservoirs may include a protective coating (such as gold, platinum,
carbon, silicon carbide, silicon dioxide, or platinum silicide), or the
sidewalls may include a doped silicon.