Planar devices incorporating electrodes for performing chemical analyses are
disclosed. The devices include an electrode module in a fluidic housing. The electrode
module includes a carrier module and at least one electrode thereon. More specifically,
the electrode module includes a planar carrier module made of a laminate of a metal
layer and an insulator layer, which metal layer is divided into at least two metal
conductor elements; and at least one electrode formed directly on the carrier module
and including a membrane element for imparting chemical sensitivity to the electrode,
the membrane element being applied to the insulator layer to be in electrical contact
with one of the metal conductor elements through the insulator layer. The insulator
layer preferably has die cut perforations through which the membrane element extends
into electrical contact with the conductor layer. In the most economical embodiment,
the carrier module is a common chip carrier according to ISO 7816-2. The devices
of cheaper construction than prior art chemical analysis chips, especially since
they are of much simplified construction and of standardized format which allows
the use of readily available low cost components.
