A device (30, 40) for the transfer of a plurality of watch components (2) arranged on a first support (10) to their arrangement on a second support (20), wherein it comprises an inlet surface (31, 41) comprising inlet orifices (33, 43) so arranged as to correspond to a first arrangement of the watch components (2) on a first support (10), an outlet surface (32, 42) comprising outlet orifices (34, 44) so arranged as to correspond to a second arrangement of the watch components (2) on a second support (20), and guide elements (35, 45) adapted to guide the watch components (2) automatically from the inlet orifices (33, 43) to the outlet orifices (34, 44).

Transfer of nanoscale elements from a substrate on which they were manufactured or transferred to a flexible sheet may be performed by local and progressive deformation of the flexible sheet over the surface of the substrate to attach and lift the nanoscale elements from the substrate with controlled inter-element registration.

Disclosed are methods and systems of controlling the placement of micro-objects on the surface of a micro-assembler. Control patterns may be used to cause phototransistors or electrodes of the micro-assembler to generate dielectrophoretic (DEP) and electrophoretic (EP) forces which may be used to manipulate, move, position, or orient one or more micro-objects on the surface of the micro-assembler.

Disclosed are methods and systems of controlling the placement of micro-objects on the surface of a micro-assembler. Control patterns may be used to cause phototransistors or electrodes of the micro-assembler to generate dielectrophoretic (DEP) and electrophoretic (EP) forces which may be used to manipulate, move, position, or orient one or more micro-objects on the surface of the micro-assembler. A set of micro-object may be analyzed. Geometric properties of the set of micro-objects may be identified. The set of micro-objects may be divided into multiple sub-sets of micro-objects based on the one or more geometric properties and one or more control patterns.

Disclosed are methods and systems of controlling the placement of micro-objects on the surface of a micro-assembler. Control patterns may be used to cause electrodes of the micro-assembler to generate dielectrophoretic (DEP) and electrophoretic (EP) forces which may be used to manipulate, move, position, or orient one or more micro-objects on the surface of the micro-assembler. The control patterns may be part of a library of control patterns.

An assembly surface has an array of electrodes arranged such that each of a plurality of chiplets can be positioned to cover at least one of the electrodes. A field generator applies a rotation field that is orthogonal to the clamping force field applied by the electrodes. A processor is operable to determine a desired orientation angle of a first subset of the chiplets and activate one or more of the electrodes so that a second subset of the chiplets different than the first subset is kept from rotating by a clamping force field applied by the one or more of the electrodes. While the clamping force field is being applied, the processor applies the rotation field at the selected angle to cause the first subset of the chiplets to be oriented at the desired orientation angle.

An electrostatic chuck including a body, an electrode, at least one dielectric layer, and a composite dielectric layer is provided. The electrode is present on the body. The dielectric layer is present on and covers the electrode. The composite dielectric layer is present on the dielectric layer. The composite dielectric layer includes a polymer layer and a plurality of inorganic dielectric particles. The inorganic dielectric particles are distributed within the polymer layer, and a permittivity of the inorganic dielectric particles is greater than a permittivity of the polymer layer. A resistivity of the dielectric layer is greater than a resistivity of the composite dielectric layer.

An electrostatic chuck including a body, an electrode, at least one dielectric layer, and a composite dielectric layer is provided. The electrode is present on the body. The dielectric layer is present on and covers the electrode. The composite dielectric layer is present on the dielectric layer. The composite dielectric layer includes a polymer layer and a plurality of inorganic dielectric particles. The inorganic dielectric particles are distributed within the polymer layer, and a permittivity of the inorganic dielectric particles is greater than a permittivity of the polymer layer. A resistivity of the dielectric layer is greater than a resistivity of the composite dielectric layer.

A micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) array system is configured to apply suction forces for the manipulation of objects. The MEMS system includes includes a two-dimensional MEMS array of a plurality of individual MEMS elements. Each MEMS element comprises: a casing structure; a flexible membrane attached to the casing structure; and an electrode structure, wherein a voltage applied to the electrode structure actuates the MEMS element to cause the flexible membrane to flex relative to the casing structure. The flexible membrane and the casing structure define a gap into which the flexible membrane may flex, and a foot extends from the flexible membrane in a direction away from the casing structure, wherein the foot and the flexible membrane define a clearance region on an opposite side of the flexible membrane from the gap. When the MEMS element interacts with an object to be manipulated the foot spaces the membrane apart from the object. The MEMS array system further includes a control circuit that selectively actuates one or more of the MEMS elements of the MEMS array.

A method of manufacturing an intermediate transfer surface includes depositing an array of etch stops on a conductive surface, etching the conductive surface to form mesas of the conductive surface separated by gaps, and coating the mesas with a dielectric coating. A method of performing microassembly includes forming an assembly of particles on an assembly plane, providing an intermediate transfer surface having an array of electrodes, applying a bias to the intermediate transfer surface to form an electrostatic field between the assembly plane and the intermediate transfer surface, and moving the intermediate transfer surface towards the assembly surface until the electrostatic field strength is strong enough to cause transfer of the assembly to the intermediate transfer surface.