Laser-driven noncontact bubble transfer printing via a hydrogel composite stamp

Laser-driven noncontact bubble transfer printing via a hydrogel composite stamp

January 24, 2024 | Chenglong Li, Hongyu Luo, Xinyi Lin, Shun Zhang, Jizhou Song
A laser-driven noncontact bubble transfer printing technique using a hydrogel composite stamp is introduced, enabling the deterministic assembly of micro/nano-scale objects onto various challenging nonadhesive surfaces. The stamp features a hydrogel reservoir encapsulated by a laser absorption layer and an adhesion layer, allowing for reversible thermal-controlled adhesion through the liquid-gas phase transition of water in the hydrogel. This enables a strong adhesion under a small preload for reliable pick-up and weak adhesion for noncontact printing via surface bulging induced by laser heating. The hydrogel's ultrasoft nature minimizes the impact of preload on pick-up performance, while the strong light-matter interaction at the interface facilitates the formation of a bulge, eliminating interfacial adhesion for successful printing. Demonstrations show the ability to transfer microscale Si platelets onto surfaces such as glass, keys, wrenches, steel spheres, dry petals, and droplets in 2D or 3D layouts, highlighting the technique's capability for deterministic assembly in unconventional electronic systems like flexible inorganic electronics, curved electronics, and micro-LED displays. The technique offers a reversible and rapid adhesion modulation strategy, overcoming challenges in traditional transfer printing methods by eliminating the need for high preloads and reducing the influence of receiver surfaces. The hydrogel composite stamp provides enhanced adhesion strength and a high compliance, enabling efficient and damage-free transfer printing. The method is validated through systematic experimental and numerical studies, demonstrating its effectiveness in various applications, including curved electronics and micro-LED displays. The technique has potential for wide application in flexible and curved electronics, requiring heterogeneous material integration.A laser-driven noncontact bubble transfer printing technique using a hydrogel composite stamp is introduced, enabling the deterministic assembly of micro/nano-scale objects onto various challenging nonadhesive surfaces. The stamp features a hydrogel reservoir encapsulated by a laser absorption layer and an adhesion layer, allowing for reversible thermal-controlled adhesion through the liquid-gas phase transition of water in the hydrogel. This enables a strong adhesion under a small preload for reliable pick-up and weak adhesion for noncontact printing via surface bulging induced by laser heating. The hydrogel's ultrasoft nature minimizes the impact of preload on pick-up performance, while the strong light-matter interaction at the interface facilitates the formation of a bulge, eliminating interfacial adhesion for successful printing. Demonstrations show the ability to transfer microscale Si platelets onto surfaces such as glass, keys, wrenches, steel spheres, dry petals, and droplets in 2D or 3D layouts, highlighting the technique's capability for deterministic assembly in unconventional electronic systems like flexible inorganic electronics, curved electronics, and micro-LED displays. The technique offers a reversible and rapid adhesion modulation strategy, overcoming challenges in traditional transfer printing methods by eliminating the need for high preloads and reducing the influence of receiver surfaces. The hydrogel composite stamp provides enhanced adhesion strength and a high compliance, enabling efficient and damage-free transfer printing. The method is validated through systematic experimental and numerical studies, demonstrating its effectiveness in various applications, including curved electronics and micro-LED displays. The technique has potential for wide application in flexible and curved electronics, requiring heterogeneous material integration.
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