Process of fabricating polymer sustained microelectrodes

1. A process for fabricating a microelectrode, comprising: a) providing a substrate comprising at least one polymer micro-ridge, wherein the polymer micro-ridge comprises an upper surface and two walls, the two walls forming an angle with a lower surface; b) depositing a metal thin film on the upper surface, the two walls, and the lower surface; and c) etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface to form the microelectrode.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface comprises wet etching, dry etching, ion beam bombardment, or any combination thereof.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein providing the substrate comprising at least one polymer micro-ridge comprises molding, imprinting, photolithographic patterning, imprint lithography, or any combination thereof.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein providing the substrate comprising at least one polymer micro-ridge comprises dry etching a polymer thin film.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer micro-ridge comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.

6. The process of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface comprises silicon dioxide.

7. The process of claim 1 , wherein the lower surface comprises a polymer.

8. The process of claim 7 , wherein the lower surface comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the polymer micro-ridge and the lower surface comprises the same polymer.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the angle between the two walls and the lower surface is about 90 degrees.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the upper surface and lower surface are substantially parallel.

12. The process of claim 11 , wherein the walls are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface and the lower surface.

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of polymer micro-ridges.

14. The process of claim 13 , wherein the micro-ridges are interdigitated.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the metal thin film is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, titanium, and any combination thereof.

16. The process of claim 1 , wherein depositing the metal thin film according to a process comprises physical vapor deposition, thermal evaporation, electroplating, or any combination thereof.

17. A process for fabricating a microelectrode comprising: a) providing a substrate comprising at least one polymer micro-ridge, wherein the polymer micro-ridge comprises an upper surface and at least one wall, the wall forming an angle with a lower surface; b) depositing a metal thin film on the upper surface, the wall, and the lower surface; c) etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface or the deposited metal thin film on the upper surface; and d) etching a predetermined amount of the remaining of the deposited metal thin film on upper surface or the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface, thereby leaving a metal thin film on the wall.

18. The process of claim 17 , wherein etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface, upper surface, or both according to a process comprises wet etching, dry etching, ion beam bombardment, or any combination thereof.

19. The process of claim 17 , comprising first etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the upper surface, and then etching a predetennined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface.

20. The process of claim 17 , comprising first etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the lower surface, and then etching a predetermined amount of the deposited metal thin film on the upper surface.

21. The process of claim 17 , wherein providing the substrate comprising at least one polymer micro-ridge comprises molding, imprinting, photolithographic patterning, imprint lithography, or any combination thereof.

22. The method of claim 17 , wherein providing the substrate comprising at least one polymer micro-ridge comprises dry etching a polymer thin film.

23. The process of claim 17 , wherein the polymer micro-ridge comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.

24. The process of claim 17 , wherein the lower surface comprises silicon dioxide.

25. The process of claim 17 , wherein the lower surface comprises a polymer.

26. The process of claim 25 , wherein the lower surface comprises a linear polymer, a crosslinked polymer, an organically modified sol-gel, or any combination thereof.

27. The process of claim 17 , wherein the polymer micro-ridge and the lower surface comprise the same polymer.

28. The process of claim 17 , wherein the angle between the two walls and the lower surface is about 90 degrees.

29. The process of claim 17 , wherein the upper surface and lower surface are substantially parallel.

30. The process of claim 29 , wherein the walls are substantially perpendicular to the upper surface and the lower surface.

31. The process of claim 17 , wherein the substrate comprises a plurality of polymer micro-ridges.

32. The process of claim 31 , wherein the polymer micro-ridges are interdigitated.

33. The process of claim 17 , wherein the metal thin film is selected from the group consisting of gold, platinum, titanium, and any combination thereof.

34. The process of claim 17 , wherein depositing the metal thin film according to a process comprises physical vapor deposition, thermal evaporation, electroplating, or any combination thereof.