Hierarchical micro assembler system

A method of manipulating a mobile particle comprising:

• disposing an electrode array at least partially submersed in an assembly medium;
• disposing the mobile particle, separate from the electrode array, at least partially submersed in the assembly medium above the electrode array, the electrode array comprising a substrate having a first plurality of electrodes above a first zone of the substrate and a second plurality of electrodes above a second zone of the substrate;
• and
• conducting a field through individual electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes and the second plurality of electrodes to generate electrophoretic forces or dielectrophoretic forces on the mobile particle.

A method of manipulating a mobile particle comprising:

• disposing the mobile particle at least partially submersed in an assembly medium above a substrate comprising a first plurality of electrodes above a first zone of the substrate and a second plurality of electrodes above a second zone of the substrate;
• and
• conducting a field through individual electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes and the second plurality of electrodes to generate electrophoretic forces or dielectrophoretic forces on the mobile particle, wherein conducting the field through the individual electrodes further comprises:
• illuminating, by a light source, the individual electrodes of at least one of the first plurality of electrodes or the second plurality of electrodes, wherein the individual electrodes of the first plurality of electrodes or the second plurality of electrodes generate the field in response to being illuminated by the light source.