Electric field and charged molecules mediated self-assembly for electronic devices

In this paper we present techniques, utilizing dielectrophoresis and electrohydrodynamics, which can possibly be used for assembling devices suspended in a solution onto a binding site on a substrate. We explored the concepts using micro-scale negatively charged polystyrene beads and rectangular silicon blocks. Dielectrophoretic forces on devices in buffer solutions were examined as a function of frequency of the applied AC signal. The observed results can be explained by taking in account electro-thermal and AC electroosmotic effects. The study described in the paper can be used for placing and assembling micro and nano-electronic devices and objects at specific sites on various substrates, in combination with bio-inspired biological binding techniques such as DNA hybridization, antigen-antibody interactions, and ligand-receptor (avidin-biotin) interactions.