Patent ID: 6790341
Filing Date: 2004-09-14
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
A method of utilizing a microband electrode array sensor, said method comprising the steps of:(a) providing said microband electrode array sensor comprising: a substrate having a first edge; a layer of insulating material on top of said substrate, said layer of insulating material having a first edge, wherein said insulating material is chosen from the group consisting of silicon carbide, silicon nitride, and silicon dioxide; said first edge of said substrate and said first edge of said insulating material aligned to form a single edge; a plurality of microband electrodes between said substrate and said layer of insulating material, a surface of each of said microband electrodes exposed at said single edge wherein the exposed surface of each of said microband electrodes has a width less than about 25 micrometers and a thickness less than about 25 micrometers; and, a plurality of gaps of selected lengths, one gap positioned between each of two adjacent microband electrodes; (b) contacting said microband electrode array sensor with a sample suspected of containing an analyte; and (c) performing anodic stripping voltammetry, wherein the lengths of said gaps are each larger than the sum of the lengths of diffusion layers surrounding adjacent microband electrodes formed upon establishing steady state conditions at the surface of each of said microband electrodes, and wherein said microband electrode array sensor generates a steady state signal equal to the sum of the signals produced by each of said microband electrodes when operated independent of said microband electrode array sensor.