Methods for optimized production of multilayer metal/transparent conducting oxide (TCO) constructs

1. An electrochemical test strip comprising a multilayer construct including:

a substrate layer having a top surface and a bottom surface,

a metal conductor layer deposited onto the top surface of the substrate layer, and

a protective layer deposited onto a top surface of the conductor layer, wherein the protective layer is a transparent conducting oxide;

wherein a pattern is formed from the metal conductor layer; and

wherein the protective layer has substantially continuous surfaces without any pattern formed therein.

2. The multilayer construct of claim 1 , wherein the pattern is formed in-line by masked deposition, in-line by lithography, or off-line by laser ablation.

3. The multilayer construct of claim 2 , wherein the pattern is formed by placing a mask on the top surface of the substrate in a desired shape, wherein the mask covers the areas of the substrate on which the metal conductor layer is not to be deposited, and exposes areas on which the metal conductor layer is to be deposited followed by the deposition of the metal conductor layer to form an electrode.

4. The multilayer construct of claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the substrate layer is free of additional conductive layers.

5. The multilayer construct of claim 1 , wherein the metal conductor layer is a pure metal or metal alloy.

6. The multilayer construct of claim 5 , wherein the metal is a nickel-based alloy, a cobalt-based alloy, an indium-based alloy, or a tin-based alloy.

7. The multilayer construct of claim 1 , wherein the transparent conducting oxide is selected from the group including indium tin oxide (ITO), zinc oxide (ZnO), tin dioxide (SnO 2 ), cadmium oxide (CdO), tantalum oxide (Ta 2 O), gallium indium oxide (GaInO 3 ), cadmium antimony oxide CdSb 2 O 3 ), titanium dioxide (TiO 2 ), tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ), and molybdenum trioxide (MoO 3 ).

8. The multilayer construct of claim 1 , further including a reagent layer deposited onto the protective transparent conducting oxide layer and an optional cover layer.

9. The multilayer construct of claim 1 , wherein the substrate layer is a non-conductive polymer web.

10. The multilayer construct of claim 9 , wherein the non-conductive polymer web is selected from the group consisting of polyvinyl chloride, polycarbonate, polysulfone, nylon, polyurethane, cellulose nitrate, cellulose propionate, cellulose acetate, cellulose acetate butyrate, polyester, polyimide, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, and combinations thereof.

11. A method of forming an electrochemical test strip having a multilayer construct, comprising:

processing a surface of a substrate layer to obtain a processed substrate;

depositing a metal conductor layer onto the processed substrate,

forming a pattern in the metal conductor layer; and

depositing a protective transparent conductive oxide layer onto the metal conductor layer, wherein the protective transparent conductive oxide layer has substantially continuous surfaces without any pattern formed therein.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the substrate surface is processed by plasma treatment.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the metal conductor layer and the protective transparent conductive oxide layer are deposited by AC reactive sputtering.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the AC reactive sputtering is produced by a dual rotary cathode.

15. A system comprising:

an electrochemical test strip with

(1) a substrate layer having a top surface and a bottom surface;

(2) a metal conductor layer formed on the top surface of the substrate layer; and

(3) a protective layer deposited on top of the conductor layer comprising a transparent conductive oxide; and

a measuring device;

wherein a pattern is formed from the metal conductor layer; and

wherein the protective layer has substantially continuous surfaces without any pattern formed therein.