Electrodes for use in neural stimulation applications, shaped to have fractal or pseudo-fractal geometries, with a generally planar core portion of the electrode using a base fractal geometry. A series of successively smaller holes is provided in the core portion, where each hole in the generally planar core portion can have a perimeter shape that is self-similar to a perimeter shape of the generally planar core portion. The selected electrode geometry affects the spatial distribution of the electric field in neuron-bearing tissue. This spatial distribution is related to the irregularity—or non-uniformity—of current density on the electrode surface. Optimized electrode geometries increase the efficiency of neural stimulation by maximizing the spatial variation of current density on the electrode surface.
