Iridium Electrodes, Blunted Tip Platinum-Iridium Electrodes, Standard Tip

Iridium Electrodes, Blunted Tip

with Polymide Tubing (Microprobes)

Monopolar Electrode with Polyimide Tubing

Description

Iridium and Platinum-Iridium alloy are considered by many to be the "gold standard" for chronic recording and microstimulation due to its excellent electrochemical and mechanical characteristics.

Advantages

Disadvantages

Pure Iridium can be electrochemically “activated” to create a layer of iridium oxide on the metal surface, imbuing it with exceptional electrochemical performance. These activated iridium oxide film (AIROF) electrodes offer some of the best stimulation performance known due to the fast faradaic charge transfer mechanisms available within the film.
Pure Iridium is appropriate for very aggressive stimulation protocols or very small electrode sizes.
Exceptional hardness and rigidity.

High cost due to the specialty nature of the material.
Only available in 100 micron diameter size.

These monopolar microelectrodes of MicroProbes are also available in Tungsten, Elgiloy (an alloy similar to stainless steel), and Platinum-Iridium alloy. As an alternative we provide them with a thin coat of vapor-deposited Parylene-C insulation instead of the Polymide tubing. Each electrode is etched to a fine taper and tipped using a proprietary process to a specific impedance value. Four different tip profiles are also available to further fine-tune your electrode selection to your particular application.

We offer a variety of different tip alternatives for those that prefer a specialized electrode profile for their research.

The tip selection can provide subtle yet important changes to the performance of the electrode, as described below. It is recommended that first time users consider experimenting with different tip profiles to determine which works best for their recording or stimulation protocols.

For some applications concentric or bipolar electrodes (stereotrodes) are useful.

Monopolar Electrodes, Pure Iridium, Blunted Tip
(100 µm × 2")
With Polymide Tubing

Item	Length	Shaft Diameter	Tip Diameter	Impedance	Applications	Pkg of 10
IR2PT30.01B4	51 mm	0.180 mm	3-5 µm	0.01 MΩ	Multiunit & ERP recording & stim.
IR2PT30.05B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		0.05 MΩ
IR2PT30.1B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		0.1 MΩ
IR2PT30.5B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		0.5 MΩ	Single & multiunit rec. & stim.
IR2PT31.0B4	51 mm	0.180 mm	3-4 µm	1.0 MΩ
IR2PT31.5B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		1.5 MΩ
IR2PT32.0B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		2.0 MΩ	Greater selectivity & micro. stim.
IR2PT32.5B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		2.5 MΩ	Greater Selectivity - Small Cells
IR2PT33.0B4	51 mm	0.180 mm		3.0 MΩ	Greater Selectivity - Small Cells

Common Tip Profiles:

A - STANDARD TIP PROFILE
The standard tip profile features a sharp yet robust point that offers versatile performance and an effective balance between penetration and durability.

B - BLUNTED TIP PROFILE
The blunted electrodes are engineered to have a more rounded, bullet-shaped tip. For many applications the blunted tip can offer superior stimulation performance.

H - HEAT TREATED TAPERED TIP PROFILE
The heat-treated electrodes are intended for those investigators who must penetrate their probes through tough membranes, such as the dura mater of larger mammals.

F - EXTRA FINE TIP PROFILE
The extra-fine tip profile features a significantly sharper taper as well as a thinner insulation layer. Available in Tungsten only!

Also see:

Selecting the Optimum Electrode Configuration