Methods for making small-diameter iridium electrodes
First Claim
1. A method for reducing the diameter of iridium wire to less than about 50 microns for making neurological electrodes, comprising the step of electrolytically etching the wire in a saturated solution of sodium chloride by an electrical current flowing through the solution and wire.
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Abstract
Iridium electrodes of very small diameter such as 35 microns are formed from larger-diameter commercially available iridium wire by an electrolytic etching process. A saturated solution of sodium chloride in a preferred etching solution. The electrodes are formed with sharp conical tips which can be rounded or blunted if desired by additional etching. Platinum lead wire is welded to the electrode shank, and the electrode is coated with an insulating varnish which is ablated at the electrode tip to expose a conductive surface.
18 Citations
5 Claims
- 1. A method for reducing the diameter of iridium wire to less than about 50 microns for making neurological electrodes, comprising the step of electrolytically etching the wire in a saturated solution of sodium chloride by an electrical current flowing through the solution and wire.
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