Apparatus and method for microcontact printing using a pressurized roller

A microcontact printing apparatus, comprising:

• a planar stamp;
• a roller, comprising an inflatable bladder configured to be pressurized by a fluid, the inflatable bladder comprising an outer wall that is an outer surface of the roller, and wherein the inflatable bladder does not include internal supports within an interior volume of the inflatable bladder;
• and
• an actuator configured to provide relative movement between the pressurized roller and the stamp in a direction substantially parallel to a surface of the stamp while the pressurized roller applies pressure to the planar stamp.

A microcontact printing roller having a longitudinal axis, comprising:

• an inflatable bladder comprising an elastomeric wall, the inflatable bladder configured to be pressurized by a fluid, wherein an outer surface of the roller is configured to have a height variation of less than 1 mm per 1 cm of width across a width of at least 5 cm along the longitudinal axis when the inflatable bladder is pressurized;
• wherein:
• i) the elastomeric wall comprises an expandable foam;
• or
• ii)
• the elastomeric wall is disposed between an expandable foam layer and an outer wall that expands away from the elastomeric wall when the bladder is pressurized.