MODELLING OF GLASS MICROSPHERE ASSEMBLY IN A CAPILLARY FLOW CELL FOR PHOTONIC CIRCUIT FABRICATION

在这笔赠款下，我们建议使用COMSOL有限元多物理软件包开发和验证薄倾斜流动池中后退流体边缘的数值/数学模型，该流动池适用于将重颗粒自组装到波导基板上(适用于放置新的光学应用的玻璃球)。在EPSRC的资助下，GR/S96500/01成功地开发出了自组装方法，该方法使用带有可湿贴片图案的非湿基板，并结合一种新的可变倾斜和流速技术，克服了与重颗粒沉淀相关的问题。结果表明，装配质量很大程度上取决于可湿贴片的相对位置以及整个装配过程中流体边缘的整体形状和灵活性。根据这笔赠款开发的数值方法将与先前研究下进行的研究进行验证，并将建立快速评估将颗粒沉积到不同尺寸、布局和特征密度的图案上的实验/工业要求的能力。该模型将大大减少通常需要确定自组装所需参数组合的实验次数，并将为对一系列应用(颗粒、聚合物薄膜、喷墨应用)的衬底去湿感兴趣的科学家提供有用的设计工具。

Under this grant we propose to develop and validate numerical/mathematical models of the receding fluid edge in a thin tilted flow cell suitable for self-assembly of heavy particles onto waveguide substrates (useful for placement of glass spheres for new optics applications) using the COMSOL Finite Element Multi-Physics Software Package. Under EPSRC grant GR/S96500/01 self-assembly methods have been successfully developed using non-wettable substrates patterned with wettable patches in conjunction with a novel variable tilt and flow rate technique which overcomes the problems associated with sedimentation of heavy particles. Results have demonstrated that the quality of assembly is strongly reliant on the relative positions of the wettable patches together with the global shape and flexibility of the fluid edge throughout assembly. The numerical methods developed under this grant will be validated against the studies conducted under the previous research and will build a capability to rapidly assess the experimental/industrial requirements for the deposition of particles onto patterns of different size, layout and feature density. The model will result in a significant reduction in the number of experiments that would normally be required to define the combination of parameters required for self-assembly, and will provide a design tool which will be useful for aid scientists interested in dewetting of substrates for a range of applications (Self assembly of particles, polymer films, inkjet applications)