Abstract
A novel processing to assemble spheres on a substrate has been developed for fabrication of three-dimensionally controlled microstructures with micrometer scale dots or lines by using electrophoretic depostion (EPD) method. A very small counter electrode (microelectrode) was utilized in two-electrode EPD cell. We named this technique a micro-electrophoretic deposition (micro-EPD) method. Commercial spheres of polystyrene (320 nm in diameter) or silica (1.2 micrometer) were used as model particles. ITO glass plate and Pt wire (50 micrometer) were employed as the substrate and the counter electrode, respectively. The EPD was carried out with a constant-voltage method. Examination of the specimen by SEM revealed the presence of a microscale dot with a closest packed structure consisting of polystyrene or silica spheres.
