A MINIMUM PROFILE UNIFORM CURRENT-DENSITY ELECTRODE

Present methods of determining the safe injected charge levels for disk-type electrodes are given in terms of an average charge density, although the charge density is higher near the periphery of the electrode. This paper describes an electrode that produces an injected charge density that is uniform over the surface of the electrode and thus permits maximum utilization of the surface. Charge density is the time integral of current density, and the alteration of the current density is obtained by adding curvature to the electrode and recessing it within a cylindrical insulating well. A novel numerical method is used to determine the recession and curvature, and this numerical method is also presented. The benefit of this technique is that it permits a reduction in the electrode size while maintaining the maximum safe injected charge level of a disk-type electrode. A minimum profile uniform current density electrode and the algorithms used in its design are presented in this paper. Finally, a flat electrode that is recessed by as little as 1/10 of its diameter is shown to have an injected current density on the electrode surface that is superior to that of a flat surface mounted electrode.