Considering Van Der Waals Forces in Micromanipulation Design

Van der Waals interactions are always present in handling micro objects and will influence the whole manipulation process. This paper investigates the effects of van der Waals forces on the design and planning of micromanipulation. Origins of van der Waals interactions are shown first. Van der Waals forces between micro objects of several typical configurations in micromanipulation process are characterized. The related aspects of van der Waals forces are discussed based on the theoretical analysis. Methods of control adhesion induced by van der Waals forces in micromanipulation processes are presented.