Catheter electrode assemblies and methods of construction therefor

A non-contact electrode mapping catheter including an outer tubing having a longitudinal axis, a deployment member, and a plurality of splines, at least one of the plurality of splines comprising:

• a flexible circuit including a plurality of electrical traces and a substrate;
• a ring electrode having a diameter of about ˜2 F to about ˜3 F surrounding the flexible circuit and electrically coupled with at least one of the plurality of electrical traces;
• and
• an outer covering extending over at least a portion of the ring electrode.

A method of constructing a catheter electrode assembly comprising:

• connecting an electrode to a flexible circuit comprising a plurality of internal electrical traces, wherein said electrode has an outer diameter of about ˜2 F to about ˜3 F;
• placing the flexible circuit and the electrode over at least a portion of a nonconductive liner tube;
• placing a support member within at least a portion of the liner tube, the liner tube electrically isolating the ring electrode from the support member;
• placing an outer covering over at least a portion of the electrode, at least a portion of the flexible circuit, and at least a portion of the liner tube;
• and
• bonding at least a portion of the outer covering to at least a portion of the liner tube.