Contact-Transfer of Conductive Membranes on Silicon Based Substrates

The disclosure provides methods and apparatus for release-assisted microcontact printing of MEMS. Specifically, the principles disclosed herein enable patterning diaphragms and conductive membranes on a substrate having articulations of desired shapes and sizes. Such diaphragms deflect under applied pressure or force (e.g., electrostatic, electromagnetic, acoustic, pneumatic, mechanical, etc.) generating a responsive signal. Alternatively, the diaphragm can be made to deflect in response to an external bias to measure the external bias/phenomenon. The disclosed principles enable transferring diaphragms and/or thin membranes without rupturing.