A method and apparatus for use in the manufacture of a display element

In a micro-assembly method of manufacture of a display element, a pickup tool (PUT) is used for selective picking of a subset of LED dies from a handle layer. The strength of adhesion of the subset of devices to be picked from the handle layer has been modified, so that the strength of adhesion of the dies to the handle layer is less than the force applied by the pickup tool. The handle layer may be UV tape which is selectively irradiated with a UV light only below the subset of devices to be picked; a thermal release tape; or a multiple layer tape. The devices may be micron scale directional parabolic inorganic LED devices. The subset of devices may be transferred to a substrate of a display element. A computer program may comprise instructions for executing the method.