A blister-test apparatus for studies on the adhesion of materials used for neural electrodes

A blister test apparatus has been developed, which allows a quantitative adhesion analysis of thin-film metallizations on polymers manufactured in cleanroom conditions suitable for micromachining of neural electrode arrays. The device is capable of pressurizing metallic membranes at wafer level, monitoring the pressure and the height of the developing blister while detecting the moment of delamination, allowing the calculation of the adhesion energy between metal film and polymer. The machine is designed for quantitative long-term studies of materials used in neural microelectrode arrays.