Bj. Seddon et al., THE APPLICATION OF EXCIMER-LASER MICROMACHINING FOR THE FABRICATION OF DISC MICROELECTRODES, Electrochimica acta, 39(6), 1994, pp. 783-791
A method is presented for the fabrication of carbon ink microelectrode
s in a composite membrane or thin laminate arrangement. The scheme uti
lises uv excimer laser photoablation of nanosecond pulse duration at w
avelength 248 nm to generate the required micro-hole structure in 12 m
um PET film. At laser fluences of the order of 1.0 mJ cm-2, film ablat
ion rates were controlled to 0.4 mum per pulse without thermal deforma
tion of the micro-hole. From a micro-hole template a thick film printi
ng technique is used to produce carbon ink microelectrodes with an inl
aid disc geometry. A series of microelectrode devices were constructed
by this process with disc diameters ranging from 38 mum down to 7 mum
with fabrication precision to 1 mum. The amperometric response of the
film based microelectrodes were characterized using standard electroc
hemical measurements and examined by SEM and optical microscopy. Appli
cations are proposed for the new device in the assembly of electrochem
ical transducers for environmental or clinical sensors.