Manufacturing with light – micro-assembly of opto-electronic microstructures

However for manufacturing applications, it is desirable to remove the liquid leaving the patterned particles in place. In this work, we have demonstrated the use of optoelectronic tweezers (OET) to manipulate and accurately assemble Sn₆₂Pb₃₆Ag₂ solder microspheres into tailored patterns.

A technique based on freeze-drying technology was then developed, which allows the assembled patterns to be well preserved and fixed in place after the liquid medium in the OET device is removed. After removing the liquid from the OET device and subsequently heating the assembled pattern, melting the solder microspheres, electrical connections between the microspheres were formed creating a permanent conductive bridge between two isolated metal electrodes.