Diamond microelectrodes

• US 20050029095A1
• Filed: 08/11/2003
• Published: 02/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Charles Simon James Pickles, Clive Edward Hall, Li Jiang, Neil Perkins, Richard Antonius Kleijhorst
• Original Assignee: Charles Simon James Pickles, Clive Edward Hall, Li Jiang, Neil Perkins, Richard Antonius Kleijhorst
• Inventors: Hall, Clive Edward, Perkins, Neil, Kleijhorst, Richard Antonius, Jiang, Li, Pickles, Charles Simon James
• Application Number:
  US10/637,500
• Publication Number:
  US 20050029095A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 204/400
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 27/308 at least partially made of carbon

Abstract

A microelectrode comprising a diamond layer formed from electrically non-conducting diamond and containing one or more pins or projections of electrically conducting diamond extending at least partially through the layer of non-conducting diamond and presenting areas of electrically conducting diamond.

Claims

1. A microelectrode comprising a diamond layer formed from electrically non-conducting diamond and containing one or more pins or projections of electrically conducting diamond extending at least partially through the layer of non-conducting diamond and presenting areas of electrically conducting diamond.

2. A microelectrode according to claim 1 wherein the pins or projections extend to a surface of the layer of electrically non-conducting diamond presenting areas of electrically conducting diamond co-planar with that surface.

3. A microelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the areas of electrically conducting material are recessed relative with a surface of the diamond layer creating a well or reservoir in that surface.

4. A microelectrode according to claim 3, wherein the well or reservoir contains an additive which presents a surface co-planar with the surface in which the well or reservoir is created.

5. A microelectrode according to claim 4, wherein the additive is an electrochemical sensing chemical.

6. A microelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the areas of electrically conducting diamond are in electrical connection with one or other surfaces of the diamond layer through which they can be connected to an external circuit.

7. A microelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the areas of electrically conducting diamond are internally electrically connected within the diamond layer into one or more groups of electrodes.

8. A microelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the areas of electrically conducting diamond are externally electrically connected into one or more groups of electrodes.

9. A microelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the diamond is synthetic single crystal or polycrystalline diamond.

10. A microelectrode according to claim 2, wherein the areas of electrically conducting diamond and planar surface are smooth.

11. A microelectrode according to claim 2, wherein the areas of electrically conducting diamond and co-planar surface have a surface roughness of less than 100 nmRa.

12. A microelectrode according to claim 1, wherein the electrically conducting diamond is boron doped diamond.