PREPARATION OF A MICROELECTRODE ARRAY BY PHOTOINDUCED ELIMINATION OF A SELF-ASSEMBLED MONOLAYER OF HEXADECYLTHIOLATE ON A GOLD ELECTRODE

An electrode characteristic of a microelectrode array was fabricated b y irradiating with UV light, through a photomask, a self-assembled mon olayer of hexadecylthiolate formed on an Au electrode in air. Further, it was discovered that irradiation of the monolayer electrode in a K4 Fe(CN)(6) solution allowed removal of the monolayer depending on the i rradiation time. An electrochemical response characteristic of a micro electrode array appeared before complete removal of the monolayer took place. A microelectrode array was also fabricated by irradiating the monolayer electrode at selected places in a K4Fe(CN)(6) solution with a focused laser beam of the second harmonic of an Nd:YAG laser (532 nm ). Cyclic voltammograms of the photo-fabricated electrodes are compare d with those predicted by voltammetric theories.