High‐Resolution Self‐Assembly of Functional Materials and Microscale Devices via Selective Plasma Induced Surface Energy Programming

Abstract Current technologies preclude effective and efficient self‐assembly of heterogeneous arrangements of functional materials between 10⁻¹ and 10⁻⁵ m. Consequently, their fabrication is dominated by methods of direct material manipulation, which struggle to meet the designers’ demands regarding resolution, material freedom, production time, and cost. A two‐step, computer‐controlled is presented, multi‐material self‐assembly technique that allows heterogenous patterns of several centimeters with features down to 12.5 µm in size. First, a micro plasma jet selectively programs the surface energy of a polydimethylsiloxane substrate through localized chemical functionalization. Second, polar fluids containing functional materials are simplistically introduced which then self‐assemble according to the patterned regions of high surface energy over timescales of the order of seconds. In‐process control enables both high‐resolution patterning and high throughput. This approach is demonstrated to produce heterogenous patterns of materials with varying conductive, magnetic, and mechanical properties. These include magneto‐mechanical films and flexible electronic devices with unprecedented processing times and economy for high‐resolution patterns. This self‐assembly approach can disrupt the current lithography/direct write paradigm that dominates micro/meso‐fabrication, enabling the next generation of devices across a broad range of fields via a flexible, industrially scalable, and environmentally friendly manufacturing route.