Microcontact printing on metallic surfaces for optical deformation measurements

Abstract

High performance materials are becoming of great interest in many fields. Understanding the behavior of these materials under stress at micrometer scale is of great importance for this development. To determine local deformations in a material, an optical pattern may be attached on the material surface. A semi-automated device, able to print a suitable optical pattern on metallic surface using microcontact printing, was manufactured. Good precision in placing the stamping head on the surface, in order to avoid smearing of the pattern was reached. Despite posing challenges in handling of the ink and in the consistency of the patterns, this method proved viable for effective and fast creation of optical patterns.