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Ultrafast 3-D Nano-structuring of Functional Materials based on Femtosecond Light Sheets

Overview

We developed a suite of laser manipulation methods based on digital holography as well as temporal focusing to achieve high-speed 3D nanofabrication via two-photon polymerization or direct material assembly. By engineering the photoresins and swellable hydrogel substrates, various functional 3D devices have been realized with a record-setting printing resolution, rate, cost and material variety.

  • Ultrafast 3-D Nano-structuring of Functional Materials based on Femtosecond Light Sheets 0
  • Ultrafast 3-D Nano-structuring of Functional Materials based on Femtosecond Light Sheets 1
  • Ultrafast 3-D Nano-structuring of Functional Materials based on Femtosecond Light Sheets 2
  • Ultrafast 3-D Nano-structuring of Functional Materials based on Femtosecond Light Sheets 3
Commercialisation opportunities
Patents 1-4 have been licensed to companies for commercialization
Problem addressed

We have addressed the long-standing challenges in fabricating complex 3D structures with sub 50 nm resolution. Equally important, our method has greatly increased the material variety to include metals, metal alloys, oxides, semiconductors, polymers, and even bio-materials. These results are achieved at high fabrication rate and low cost (~1.5 US$/mm3), making them suitable for real engineering applications.

Innovation
  • The generation of programmable femtosecond light sheet via spatial and temporal focusing and implement on a digital micromirror device.
  • The generation of thousands of individually controllable laser foci to realize high-speed parallel processing and random-access scanning.
  • Development of functional photoresins that enable the direct printing of piezoelectric or magnetic micro devices, e.g., microrobots or sensors. Development of shrinkable hydrogel substrates to realize kinetically-regulated direct material assembly via ultrahigh peak power lasers
Key impact
  • Set new records in 3D nanofabrication in terms of resolution, rate, cost and material variety.
  • Enable the fabrication of novel photonic and metamaterial structures devices that was not previously possible.
Award
  • R&D 100 Award for One of 100 Best New Technical Products of the Year - Digital Holography-based 3-D Nano-Builder (2018)
Application
  • Nanoscale 3D printing and 3D fabrication

Patent

  • U.S. Patent No. 11,312,067, Apr. 26, 2022.
  • U.S. Patent 10,207,365, Feb. 19, 2019.
  • U.S. Patent No. 10,821,671, Nov. 3, 2020.
  • US Utility Patent Application No. 17/302,671, 2021.
  • U.S. Patent, No. 10,401,603, Sept. 3, 2019.
The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK)

Founded in 1963, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) is a forward-looking comprehensive research university with a global vision and a mission to combine tradition with modernity, and to bring together China and the West. CUHK teachers and students hail from all around the world. Four Nobel laureates are associated with the university, and it is the only tertiary institution in Hong Kong with recipients of the Nobel Prize, Turing Award, Fields Medal and Veblen Prize sitting as faculty in residence. CUHK graduates are connected worldwide through an extensive alumni network. CUHK undertakes a wide range of research programmes in many subject areas, and strives to provide scope for all academic staff to undertake consultancy and collaborative projects with industry. 

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