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Directed dielectrophoretic assembly and separation on microelectrodes patterned via stereolithography 3D-printed
Eunhwa Jo1, Chanwook Cha1, Yeongjun Kim2
1School of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Kyungpook National University, Daegu 41566, Republic of Korea. han.koohee@knu.ac.kr.
Lab on a Chip
|December 24, 2025
Summary
Stereolithography apparatus (SLA) 3D printing creates cost-effective shadow masks for microelectrode patterning. This method enables precise control of electric fields for particle manipulation in lab-on-a-chip systems.
Area of Science:
- Microfluidics and Lab-on-a-Chip Systems
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Electrical Engineering and Nanotechnology
Background:
- Microelectrode patterning is crucial for lab-on-a-chip devices, enabling precise electric field control for particle manipulation.
- Conventional photolithography for microelectrode fabrication is expensive and complex.
- There is a need for cost-effective and accessible methods for high-resolution microelectrode patterning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of stereolithography apparatus (SLA) 3D printing for fabricating shadow masks for microelectrode patterning.
- To demonstrate the fabrication of complex gold microelectrode geometries using SLA-printed shadow masks.
- To validate the effectiveness of these microelectrodes in controlling dielectrophoretic particle assembly and separation.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of shadow masks using stereolithography apparatus (SLA) 3D printing.
- Patterning of gold microelectrodes onto substrates using the SLA-generated shadow masks.
- Experimental characterization of electric field localization and particle manipulation (dielectrophoresis).
- Analytical calculations and numerical simulations to model frequency-dependent particle behavior.
Main Results:
- Successful fabrication of complex gold microelectrode geometries using SLA 3D-printed shadow masks.
- Demonstrated precise control over dielectrophoretic assembly and separation of colloidal particles via localized electric fields.
- Experimental findings corroborated by analytical and numerical simulations of particle dynamics.
Conclusions:
- SLA 3D printing provides a practical, low-cost, and high-resolution approach for microelectrode fabrication.
- This technique is highly applicable to lab-on-a-chip systems, including biosensing, microfluidics, and nanodevice integration.
- SLA 3D printing offers a viable alternative to conventional photolithography for microelectrode patterning.
