Method of increasing sensitivity and limits of detection and controlling fluid flow over sensor and sensor array

A process of making a plurality of sensors or sensor arrays comprising:

• a) applying one or more coatings of electrically conductive material over a substrate having a first side and a second side, said one or more coatings of electrically conductive material being applied over at least the first side of said substrate;
• b) removing a portion of said electrically conductive material to form a pattern of electrically conductive material electrodes on said substrate, wherein said pattern of electrically conductive material electrodes comprise a plurality of pairs of electrically conductive material electrodes that have a gap between the electrodes in each pair of electrodes, wherein said pairs of electrically conductive material electrodes are spaced apart from each other on said substrate;
• c) applying one or more chemical coatings in the form of a continuous film over said patterned electrical conductive material to form a coated substrate, wherein said gap is covered by said one or more chemical coatings, and
• (i) said patterned electrical conductive material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene), poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate, poly(pyrrole), polycarbazoles, polyindoles, polyazepines, Cr, Mo, Ti, Sc, Ni, V, Hf, W, Nb, Au, Ag, Cu, Pt, and mixtures thereof;
• and
• (ii) said one or more chemical coatings each independently comprising a transition metal and an element selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, sulfur, selenium, phosphorous and mixtures thereof, said one or more chemical coatings each independently comprising at least one of an amorphous, nanocrystalline, microcrystalline or crystalline region;
• and
• d) illumination patterning, annealing and/or thermal annealing said coated substrate, said illumination patterning, annealing and/or thermal annealing comprising using one or more lasers and/or lamps to achieve at least one of a structural change or a change in crystallization in at least a portion of at least one of said one or more chemical coatings on said substrate, which change comprises forming a crystallized region of said one or more chemical coatings over said gap to form a sensor, and leaving an amorphous region surrounding said crystallized region, and the removal of at least a portion of said chemical coating on at least the first side of said substrate to leave a space between sensors,
• wherein said illumination patterning and/or thermal annealing is also applied to control the morphology or flow of an applied drop or a sample over the sensor or the sensor array surface by providing said sensor or sensor array surface, or portions thereof, with either:
• 1) a smooth laser-patterned sensor surface which demonstrates a smaller contact angle and a more hydrophobic surface with such an applied drop or sample;
• or 2) a rough laser-patterned sensor surface which demonstrates a larger contact angle and more hydrophilic surface with such an applied drop or sample.