Chinese researchers unveil technique for ultra-fast micro 3D printing

Researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan say they have made a major breakthrough in 3D printing technology. With the help of a novel laser-based process, complex microstructures can be printed with nanometer precision – and at record speed.

As Professor Wei Xiong’s team reports in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, the new technique achieves a printing speed of 7.6 million voxels per second. This is almost ten times faster than previous 3D printing methods in the micro range.

This is made possible by the use of acousto-optic scanners, which use sound waves instead of moving mirrors. This eliminates the time-consuming acceleration and braking process for the mirror, which increases the scanning speed many times over.

In combination with several parallel laser foci, complex three-dimensional structures in the micro- and nanometer range can be printed – according to the researchers, as fast as if an artist were to paint a perfect self-portrait in just five minutes.

Until now, the low printing speed has been the Achilles heel of 3D printing in the micro range. Applications were therefore only possible to a very limited extent. With the new technology, scientists now see completely new possibilities, for example in the production of micro-optics, microelectronics or medical technology.

Initial demonstrations show the high precision of the process: structures with details of just 212 nanometers could be successfully printed. In the long term, the researchers hope that the technology will even enable large-area 3D microprinting.

According to Professor Xiong, the research provides a technological approach to revolutionize the production of microcomponents for high-tech applications. To be sure, there is still a long way to go before industrial production is possible. But the team is optimistic that the new technology will put them well on their way.

More information: Binzhang Jiao et al, Acousto-optic scanning spatial-switching multiphoton lithography, International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing (2023). DOI: 10.1088/2631-7990/ace0a7