Holographic optical assembly and photopolymerized joining of planar microspheres

L. A. Shaw, S. Chizari, R. M. Panas, M. Shusteff, C. M. Spadaccini, and J. B. Hopkins

The aim of this research is to demonstrate a holographically driven photopolymerization process for joining colloidal particles to create planar microstructures fixed to a substrate, which can be monitored with real-time measurement. Holographic optical tweezers (HOT) have been used to arrange arrays of microparticles prior to this work; here we introduce a new photopolymerization process for rapidly joining simultaneously handled microspheres in a plane. Additionally, we demonstrate a new process control technique for efficiently identifying when particles have been successfully joined by measuring a sufficient reduction in the particles’ Brownian motion. This technique and our demonstrated joining approach enable HOT technology to take critical steps toward automated additive fabrication of microstructures.

DOI