Polymer sustained microelectrodes
View Patent ↗In one aspect, a microelectrode comprising an upper surface, two walls, and a polymer core is described, wherein each of the two walls forms an angle with a lower surface, and the upper surface and each of the two walls comprises a metal thin film in contact with the polymer core. The lower surface, however, lacks a continuous metal thin film. In another aspect, a microelectrode comprising a metal thin film is described in which the metal thin film has a thickness and a plane bisects the thickness. The plane forms an angle with a lower surface that lacks a contiuous metal thin film. The metal thin film is in contact with a supporting polymer having an upper surface that also lacks a continuous metal thin film.
1. A microelectrode comprising an upper surface, two walls, and a polymer core, each of the two walls forming an angle with a lower surface, wherein the upper surface and each of the two walls comprise a metal thin film in contact with the polymer core, and the lower surface lacks a continuous metal thin film.
2. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the polymer core comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.
3. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface comprises silicon dioxide.
4. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface comprises a polymer.
5. The microelectrode of claim 4 , wherein the lower surface comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.
6. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the polymer core and the lower surface comprise the same polymer.
7. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface and the lower surface are substantially parallel.
8. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the two walls and the lower surface is about 90 degrees.
9. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the metal thin film is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, titanium, and any combination thereof.
10. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the metal thin film has a thickness of about 100 nm to about 5 μm.
11. The microelectrode of claim 1 , wherein the width of the upper surface is about 2 μm to about 500 μm and the height of the two walls is about 200 nm to about 10 μm.
12. The microelectrode of claim 11 , wherein the length of the microelectrode is about 2 μm to about 200 mm.
13. A microelectrode array, comprising the microelectrode of claim 1 .
14. The microelectrode array of claim 13 , wherein the microelectrodes are interdigitated.
15. A microelectrode comprising a metal thin film, the metal thin film having a thickness and a plane bisecting the thickness, the plane forming an angle with a lower surface, wherein: the metal thin film is in contact with a supporting polymer, the supporting polymer having an upper surface; the lower surface lacks a continuous metal thin film; and the upper surface lacks a continuous metal thin film.
16. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the supporting polymer comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel or any combination thereof.
17. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the lower surface comprises silicon dioxide.
18. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the lower surface comprises a polymer.
19. The microelectrode of claim 18 , wherein the lower surface comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.
20. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the supporting polymer and the lower surface comprise the same polymer.
21. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the angle between the plane bisecting the thickness and the lower surface is about 90 degrees.
22. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the metal thin film is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, titanium, and any combination thereof.
23. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the metal thin film has a thickness of about 100 nm to about 5 μm.
24. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the width of the metal thin film is about 200 nm to about 10 μm.
25. The microelectrode of claim 15 , wherein the length of the microelectrode is about 2 μm to about 200 mm.
26. A microelectrode array, comprising the microelectrode of claim 15 .
27. The microelectrode array of claim 26 , wherein the microelectrodes are interdigitated.