Light-Addressable Electrodes for Dynamic and Flexible Addressing of Biological Systems and Electrochemical Reactions

• Published in: Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) Vol. 20; no. 6; p. 1680
• Main Authors: Welden, Rene, Schöning, Michael J, Wagner, Patrick H, Wagner, Torsten
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland MDPI 17.03.2020; MDPI AG
• Subjects: Biosensing Techniques - instrumentation; Biosensing Techniques - methods; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - chemical synthesis; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - chemistry; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - supply & distribution; Coated Materials, Biocompatible - therapeutic use; Electrochemical Techniques - instrumentation; Electrochemical Techniques - methods; Electrodes; Electroplating - instrumentation; Electroplating - methods; Equipment Design; Humans; Light; light-addressable cell stimulation and photoelectrochemistry; light-addressable electrode; Lighting - instrumentation; Lighting - methods; Microtechnology - methods; photoelectrochemical deposition; Review; Semiconductors; photoelectrochemical deposition; light-addressable electrode; light-addressable cell stimulation and photoelectrochemistry
• ISSN: 1424-8220; 1424-8220
• DOI: 10.3390/s20061680

In this review article, we are going to present an overview on possible applications of light-addressable electrodes (LAE) as actuator/manipulation devices besides classical electrode structures. For LAEs, the electrode material consists of a semiconductor. Illumination with a light source with the appropiate wavelength leads to the generation of electron-hole pairs which can be utilized for further photoelectrochemical reaction. Due to recent progress in light-projection technologies, highly dynamic and flexible illumination patterns can be generated, opening new possibilities for light-addressable electrodes. A short introduction on semiconductor-electrolyte interfaces with light stimulation is given together with electrode-design approaches. Towards applications, the stimulation of cells with different electrode materials and fabrication designs is explained, followed by analyte-manipulation strategies and spatially resolved photoelectrochemical deposition of different material types.