Micromanipulation based on capillary force using probes with hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces

Abstract

The capillary force micromanipulation technique is a method to manipulate objects by generating a liquid bridge between the surface of a probe and the surface of an object. This work aims to verify whether the capillary force between a flat object and a probe with coaxially aligned hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces can be controlled as desired to pick-and-place the object. Liquid is supplied to the surface of the probe with a built-in supply channel. The change of the liquid bridge’s profile is observed from the bottom and side of the object, which is then compared with the obtained capillary force-displacement data. The effectiveness of the proposed manipulation technique will be verified by interpreting the capillary phenomenon.