Closing the Gap Between Self-Assembly and Microsystems Using Self-Assembly, Transfer, and Integration of Particles

摘要

Bulk processes allow efficient production of meso- to nano-scale particles with well-defined geometries and internal structures. Various macroscopic applications rely on their advantageous optical, catalytic, mechanical, and other properties, because random particle assemblies in suspensions, powders, or composites derive many useful properties from their constituent particles. Some properties, however, only become apparent at the individual particle level. Examples are size and geometry, which can be smaller and more regular than anything made by lithographic approaches, and certain electronic or optical attributes. Other properties, such as photonic bandgaps, only appear in specific particle arrangements. Many of them are potentially useful in microsystems technology, but their exploitation requires integration of the particles at well-defined positions in a device. Micro-technology currently does not provide an established method for the integration of particles with dimensions below 100 μm. Pick-and-place robotic manipulation has been demonstrated for microparticles and might be possible for nanoparticles, but is difficult and requires handling every particle individually. The large feature density in today's microsystems devices renders such serial fabrication economically unrealistic.