Integrated Assembly and Photopreservation of Topographical Micropatterns

Micromanipulation techniques that are capable of assembling nano/micromaterials into usable structures such as topographical micropatterns (TMPs) have proliferated rapidly in recent years, holding great promise in building artificial electronic and photonic microstructures. Here, a method is reported for forming TMPs based on optoelectronic tweezers in either bottom-up or top-down modes, combined with in situ photopolymerization to form permanent structures. This work demonstrates that the assembled/cured TMPs can be harvested and transferred to alternate substrates, and illustrates that how permanent conductive traces and capacitive circuits can be formed, paving the way toward applications in microelectronics. The integrated, optical assembly/preservation method described here is accessible, versatile, and applicable for a wide range of materials and structures, suggesting utility for myriad microassembly and microfabrication applications in the future.

Automated summary

A method based on optoelectronic tweezers for forming topographical micropatterns (TMPs) has been reported, showing promise in constructing structures in the field of microelectronics. This technique demonstrates the ability to create permanent structures that can be harvested and transferred, paving the way for new applications in microelectronics.