Self assembly of elements for displays

1. A method of forming a display, comprising:

a) disposing a first plurality of display elements of a first plurality of types of display elements onto a substrate, each type of display element of said first plurality of types of display elements having shape or surface properties that interact with shape or surface properties of other display elements to form preferred associations with one or more other types of display elements with a degree of preference that depends upon the type of display element;

b) disposing a second plurality of display elements of a second plurality of types of display elements onto said substrate, each type of display element of said second plurality of types of display elements having shape or surface properties that interact with shape or surface properties of other display elements to form preferred associations with one or more other types of display elements with a degree of preference that depends upon the type of display element; and

c) inducing relative movement of said display elements and said substrate sufficient to produce association of at least a portion of said display elements with other said display elements to form a group of associated display elements, wherein said induced movement is sufficient to permit said display elements to self-organize to form preferred associations within said group of associated display elements;

wherein said first plurality of display elements includes a first mixture of at least a first type of display element and a second type of display element, and said second plurality of display elements includes a second mixture of at least said first type of display element and said second type of display element, and wherein said first type of display elements occurs in a different proportion of the mixture in said first mixture than in said second mixture.

2. The method of claim 1 , including disposing said first plurality of display elements onto a first region of said substrate and disposing said second plurality of display elements onto a second region of said substrate.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said first region and said second region are separated by at least one barrier, and wherein said at least one barrier remains in place between said first region and said second region during said disposing said first plurality of display elements onto said first region of said substrate and disposing said second plurality of display elements onto said second region of said substrate.

4. The method of claim 2 , wherein said first region and said second region form at least a portion of a fixed pattern.

5. The method of claim 3 , removing the at least one barrier from the display.

6. The method of claim 1 , including disposing said first plurality of display elements onto said substrate during a first time interval and disposing said second plurality of display elements onto said substrate during a second time interval.

7. The method of claim 1 , including inducing relative movement of said first plurality of display elements, said second plurality of display elements, and said substrate by shaking or vibrating said substrate.

8. The method of claim 1 , including connecting at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein connecting said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other includes directly connecting at least one display element of said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements to at least one other adjacent display element of said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements to form a connected display element array.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein connecting said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other includes connecting said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements to said substrate.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein connecting said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other includes forming a structurally or mechanically stable connection.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein connecting said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other includes forming a connection for transferring at least one of data, power or control signals between at least two display elements.

13. A method of forming a display, comprising:

disposing a first plurality of display elements of a first plurality of types of display elements onto a substrate, each type of display element of said first plurality of types of display elements having shape or surface properties that interact with shape or surface properties of other display elements to form preferred associations with one or more other types of display elements with a degree of preference that depends upon the type of display element;

disposing a second plurality of display elements of a second plurality of types of display elements onto said substrate, each type of display element of said second plurality of types of display elements having shape or surface properties that interact with shape or surface properties of other display elements to form preferred associations with one or more other types of display elements with a degree of preference that depends upon the type of display element;

inducing relative movement of said display elements and said substrate sufficient to produce association of at least a portion of said display elements with other said display elements to form a group of associated display elements, wherein said induced movement is sufficient to permit said display elements to self-organize to form preferred associations within said group of associated display elements;

connecting at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other, wherein connecting said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements in fixed relationship to each other includes directly connecting at least one display element of said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements to at least one other adjacent display element of said at least a portion of said first plurality of display elements and said second plurality of display elements to form a connected display element array; and

transferring said connected display element array to a destination substrate.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein said transferring includes sliding said connected display element array from said substrate to a destination substrate.

15. The method of claim 13 , wherein said transferring includes lifting connected display element array from said substrate and dropping said connected display element array onto a destination substrate.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein lifting said connected display element array from said substrate includes lifting said connected display element array from below.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein lifting said connected display element array from said substrate includes adhering said connected display element array to a lifting structure.

18. The method of claim 17 , including adhering said connected display element array to the lifting structure by at least one of a vacuum, a static electrical force, a magnetic force, a surface tension or a releasable adhesive.