Mechanics of active elastomeric surfaces with tunable adhesion for non-contact pick-up and printing

Abstract

Transfer printing is an emerging technique for deterministic assembly and integration of multiscale and classes of materials on desired substrates with great potential in developing advanced electronic systems. Theoretical mechanics models are developed for an active elastomeric adhesive with the focus on the unusual capabilities of non-contact pick-up and printing. The active adhesive features cavities embedded under its contacting surface and encapsulated by a thin elastomeric surface membrane. Theoretical predictions on the pull-off force for pick-up and critical condition for non-contact printing agree well with experiments. Influences of geometrical parameters and material properties on the interfacial adhesion are systematically studied. These results may serve as the theoretical basis for adhesive optimization and provide guidelines for non-contact transfer printing, which is essential in applications of stretchable electronics and micro-LED displays.