Physiological characteristic sensors and methods for forming such sensors

1. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and

performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the pulsed signal includes a repeated cycle of a first current and a second current different from the first current, and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the non-pulsed continuous signal includes a non-repeated application of a third current, for from about 50 seconds to about 240 seconds to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying cycles of about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the first current and about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the second current to the sensor electrode.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode before applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode after applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying cycles the repeated cycle of the first current of from about −50 μA to about −150 μA and the second current of from about 0 μA to about −20 μA.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying from about 100 to about 300 cycles of the first current and the second current to the sensor electrode.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying cycles of about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the first current and about 0.1 seconds to about 4 seconds of the second current to the sensor electrode.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a pulsed current in a square pulse pattern.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein immersing the sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath comprises immersing the sensor electrode in a solution of hydrogen hexachloroplatinate (H 2 PtCl 6 ) and lead acetate trihydrate (Pb(CH 3 COO) 2 .3H 2 O).

10. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a first pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a first sequence and applying a second pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a second sequence.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises:

applying a first pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a first sequence by applying cycles of a first current of from about −80 μA to about −120 μA and a second current of from about 0 μA to about −10 μA; and

applying a second pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a second sequence by applying cycles of a third current of from about −80 μA to about −100 μA and a fourth current of from about −70 μA to about −90 μA; and

wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying the non-pulsed continuous current of from about −70 μA to about −110 μA.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a first pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a first sequence and applying a second pulsed signal to the sensor electrode in a second sequence and wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a first non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode and applying a second non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises:

applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a first step signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a second step signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a third step signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a fourth step signal to the sensor electrode; and

applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.

14. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and

performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode, wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying a non-pulsed continuous current of from about −50 μA to about −120 μA to the sensor electrode for from about 50 seconds to about 240 seconds.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising:

providing a base layer;

forming an adhesion layer over the base layer;

forming a metallization layer over the adhesion layer; and

patterning an insulation layer over the metallization layer to define a selectively exposed surface of the metallization layer, wherein the selectively exposed surface of the metallization layer forms the sensor electrode.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the sensor electrode has an initial surface area, and wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises forming a modified electrochemical real surface area at least 80 times greater than the initial surface area.

17. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and

performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal including a repeated cycle of a first current and a second current different from the first current to the sensor electrode and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal including a non-repeated application of a non-pulsed continuous current to the sensor electrode to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode,

wherein applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode comprises:

applying a first pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a first sequence by applying cycles of the first current of from about −80 μA to about −120 μA and the second current of from about 0 μA to about −10 μA; and

applying a second pulsed current to the sensor electrode in a second sequence by applying cycles of a third current of from about −80 μA to about −100 μA and a fourth current of from about −70 μA to about −90 μA; and

wherein applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode comprises applying the non-pulsed continuous current of from about −70 μA to about −110 μA.

18. A method for forming a physiological characteristic sensor, the method comprising the steps of:

immersing a sensor electrode in a platinum electrolytic bath; and

performing an electrodeposition process by sequentially applying a pulsed signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the pulsed signal includes a repeated cycle of a first current and a second current different from the first current, and applying a non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode, wherein the non-pulsed continuous signal includes a non-repeated application of a third current, to form a platinum deposit on the sensor electrode, wherein performing the electrodeposition process comprises:

applying the pulsed signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a first step signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a second step signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a third step signal to the sensor electrode;

applying a fourth step signal to the sensor electrode; and

applying the non-pulsed continuous signal to the sensor electrode.