Methods for magnetically directed self assembly

A fluidic assembly method comprising:

• dispersing a plurality of functional blocks in a fluid to form a slurry, each of the functional blocks comprising at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one region;
• immersing at least a portion of an article in the fluid, the article comprising a substrate, a plurality of receptor sites disposed on the substrate and a plurality of magnetic receptors, each of the magnetic receptors being disposed within a respective one of the receptor sites;
• and
• activating at least a subset of the magnetic receptors to generate respective magnetic field gradients for attracting respective ones of the patterned magnetic films.

A method of manufacturing an assembly, the method comprising:

• disposing a plurality of functional blocks over at least a portion of an article comprising a substrate, a plurality of receptor sites disposed on the substrate and a plurality of magnetic receptors, each of the receptors being disposed within a respective one of the receptor sites, wherein each of the functional blocks comprises at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one region;
• agitating the functional blocks relative to the article;
• and
• assembling at least a subset of the functional blocks to the magnetic receptors on the article,
• wherein the patterned magnetic films comprise a material with a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, the method further comprising activating the patterned magnetic films prior to performing the disposing step.

A method of manufacturing an assembly, the method comprising:

• disposing a plurality of functional blocks over at least a portion of an article comprising a substrate, a plurality of receptor sites disposed on the substrate and a plurality of magnetic receptors, each of the receptors being disposed within a respective one of the receptor sites, wherein each of the functional blocks comprises at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one region;
• agitating the functional blocks relative to the article;
• and
• assembling at least a subset of the functional blocks to the magnetic receptors on the article,
• wherein each of the elements has a connecting surface, the method further comprising activating the patterned magnetic films to exhibit respective magnetic moments (μ) that are oriented in a range of plus or minus ten degrees from the surface normal for the respective connecting surface, wherein the activating step is performed prior to the disposing step.

A method of manufacturing an assembly, the method comprising:

• disposing a plurality of functional blocks over at least a portion of an article comprising a substrate, a plurality of receptor sites disposed on the substrate and a plurality of magnetic receptors, each of the receptors being disposed within a respective one of the receptor sites, wherein each of the functional blocks comprises at least one element and a patterned magnetic film comprising at least one region;
• agitating the functional blocks relative to the article;
• assembling at least a subset of the functional blocks to the magnetic receptors on the article;
• and
• activating at least a subset of the magnetic receptors to generate respective magnetic field gradients for attracting respective ones of the patterned magnetic films, wherein the activating the magnetic receptors step is performed prior to the disposing step.