Direct patterning of microelectrode arrays using femtosecond laser micromachining

Micron-resolution microelectrodes and microelectrode arrays are commonly used in Lab-on-a-chip applications, typically for particle and fluidic sensing or pumping applications. The common method of fabricating such structures is to use conventional photolithography, which involves several steps, any of which can affect the quality and dimension of the final structure. Here we present an alternative method of creating microelectrodes using direct laser patterning. This is a significantly simpler and faster fabrication route requiring a single patterning step, and which also allows design changes to be implemented quickly, without having to re-manufacture a photolithographic mask. To confirm the suitability of this approach to fabricating microelectrodes, a complex multielectrode array design for neuron stimulation was directly laser-patterned.