Electric field mediated colloidal assembly and control

This dissertation presents video microscopy measurements and computer simulations of colloidal particle interactions in inhomogeneous, high-frequency AC electric fields. The interactions of particles with each other and inhomogeneous electric fields are quantified as a function of concentration, field amplitude, and frequency. Visual state diagrams show that these interactions in concentrated systems produce quasi-two dimensional microstructures including confined hard disk fluids, oriented dipolar chains, and oriented hexagonal close packed crystals. The interaction of a particle interacting with an electric field is directly measured with analyses of a single diffusing colloid within electric fields in the absence of many body effects.;Concentrated systems are characterized in terms of density profiles across the electrode gap and angular pair distribution functions. An inverse Monte Carlo analysis extracted the induced dipole-induced dipole interaction from concentrated measurements. A single adjustable parameter consistently modified the induced dipole-field potential and the induced dipole-induced dipole potential to account for modification of the local electric field as the result of the local particle concentration, frequency and configuration.;Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) perform sensitive measurements of internal three dimensional structure of crystals assembled in an interfacial quadrupole electrode device. Radial distributions as functions of elevation are used to characterize the equilibrium structure. A single adjustable parameter modified known potentials to match Monte Carlo simulations with experiment. The local density from experiment and simulation matched the expected density calculated from a balance of osmotic pressure and dielectrophoretic compression. Simulations qualitatively matched experimental observations of microstructure as a function of field amplitude.;Programmable assembly for colloidal crystals is implemented in the quadrupole electrode device by guiding the dynamic evolution of a colloidal ensemble. A feedback method is used to control electric field mediated assembly based on real-time sensing and actuation single and multiple electrokinetic mechanisms. Sensing is achieved using particle tracking and order parameter computation to quantify the degree of order during the assembly process. A geometrical parameter for hexagonal close packing and radius of gyration are investigated as order parameters for quantifying condensation and crystallization. Colloidal crystal assembly and disassembly is actuated using electroosmosis and negative and positive dielectrophoresis (i.e. dipole-field interactions).