Rapid, localized temperature control and negligible power consumption are key requisites for realizing effective parallel and sequential processing in the miniaturized, integrated biomedical microdevices where temperature-dependent biochemical reactions and fluid flow occur. In this study, an independent, temperature-controllable microelectrode array, with excellent temperature control rates and minimal power consumption, has been developed using microelectromechanical systems technology. The microfabricated array consists of Pt microelectrodes (100-μm diameter), with n-doped polysilicon microheaters (1.4-kΩ resistance), and vacuum-sealed cavities of depth 6.2 μm and diameter 200 μm. The thermal characteristics of each microelectrode were evaluated electrochemically through surface temperature measurements. The large heater power coefficient (2.1±0.1℃ mW~(-1)) and the short heating and cooling times (less than 0.2 s for T_(0.95)) are consequences of the vacuum-sealed cavities, which facilitate good thermal isolation and low thermal mass. The temperature of each microelectrode is independently controlled by a dedicated microheater, without thermally influencing the adjacent microelectrodes significantly.
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