Optics
3D Printed Nanoscale glass structures and its Industry implications
Recent advancements in 3D printing have demonstrated extraordinary capabilities in creating tiny glass structures. By utilizing a new printing technology, a small pool of hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ), a material containing the necessary ingredients to form silica glass, is exposed to laser pulses of concise duration. The laser pulses cause the HSQ to crosslink into silica glass at the focal point, creating voxels (3D pixels) as small as 65 x 260 nanometers. This groundbreaking technique showcases the potential of 3D printing to fabricate intricate and detailed structures at the nanoscale, offering unique opportunities in fields such as photonics, optics, and microelectronics.
3D printing plays a vital role in various industries by enabling rapid prototyping, customization, cost-effectiveness, and creating complex geometries. This technology empowers businesses to innovate, reduce manufacturing costs, meet individual customer needs, and push the boundaries of design and functionality. Recent developments in 3D printing techniques, exemplified by the creation of tiny glass structures, highlight this transformative technology’s limitless possibilities and potential applications.
World’s smallest wine glass toasts to nanoscale silica 3D printing.
3D printing functional optical components.
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According to LUXeXcel the conventional 3D printing techniques,” we are not able to 3D print functional optics. These 3D printers may be able to 3D print transparent materials but fail to achieve optical properties such as surface roughness and scattering. LUXeXcel, a company based in The Netherlands has developed print optical technology that can 3D print fully transparent, smooth, and optically functional optical components such as lenses.
LUXeXcel uses a photopolymer material for 3D printing. LUXeXcel created the world’s first 3D printed reading glasses including the frames and the lenses for the Dutch Monarchs. However, their services are not limited to royalty but available to the general public as well. LUXeXcel’s website allows users to upload designs and order 3D printed optics. The design can be uploaded in a variety of file formats and has to conform to their design guidelines. They promise to 3D print a design within 5 working days of placing the order. The print optical technology has used in automotive, medical, lighting, aerospace, and other industries.¨
LUXeXcel.
