Microfabrication
Articles tagged with Microfabrication
Printed oxygen "highways" shatter the 2D transistor speed limit
A research team has successfully removed the primary obstacle to post-silicon computing by creating a record-breaking electronic connection for atomic-thin materials. The new GaOx layer enables 'hybrid tunnelling' mechanism, reducing contact resistance and allowing transistors to operate at much lower voltages without sacrificing speed.
How an algorithm is curing 3D printing’s cracking problem
A team of researchers developed a machine learning framework to optimize laser settings for printing crack-susceptible superalloys. The algorithm reduced internal crack density by 99% and increased the metal's high-temperature strength, surpassing traditional cast components.
The 'thinner yet tougher' paradox: A two-sided upgrade for flexible microchips
A new manufacturing approach enables the creation of working transistors on both sides of flexible microchips, doubling computing density. The technique uses a liquid bath to detach and float ultra-thin silicon membranes, allowing for precise fabrication without harsh adhesives.
Real-time X-rays reveal how a 'flash-freezing' alloy evades the stress of 3D printing
Researchers developed a bespoke aluminum alloy specifically tailored to survive and thrive in 3D printing. The new material produces components with significantly higher strength and lower internal stress than current industry standards.
Programmable ‘smart stamp’ transfers microscopic chips to build 3D circuits
Researchers develop programmable system to selectively pick up and place delicate electronic components, enabling mass production of defect-free displays and 3D microchips. The 'smart stamp' technology uses localized heating to control a polymer's stickiness, allowing precise transfer of semiconductor chips and other materials.
Escaping the bubble trap: Plant-inspired 3D electrodes unlock ultra-fast hydrogen production
Researchers have developed a 3D electrode inspired by an aquatic plant, which captures and transports gas bubbles to increase hydrogen production. The design achieved a current density eight times higher than common flat electrodes, collecting 53.9% more hydrogen.
How adding a microwave to a 3D printer makes flawless and heat-proof ceramics
Researchers used microwave-based 3D printing to create ceramic components with near-zero porosity and improved strength. The hybrid technique eliminates microscopic holes and traps gas bubbles, allowing for more bending force before breaking.
Microscopic mirrors for future quantum networks
The Harvard team developed a new microfabrication method to produce high-performance, curved optical mirrors with extremely smooth surfaces. The mirrors can control light at near-infrared wavelengths, enabling fast and efficient quantum networking.
Chungnam National University team pioneers defect-free high-quality graphene electrodes
Researchers introduce a novel fabrication technique to create high-resolution, low-resistance graphene electrodes for transparent and flexible devices. The method achieves exceptionally low electrical resistance and high pattern fidelity without etching-induced defects or chemical contamination.
Seedcoat-inspired metal lets wings change shape on their own
Researchers at Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics created an active metal metamaterial that can bend and recover its shape, enabling aircraft wings to morph smoothly in flight. The material is lightweight, strong, and capable of adjusting its shape on demand.
Goodbye stereolithography: Scientists develop a faster and finer way to 3d print metal
Researchers create a new method for laser-based powder bed fusion that achieves unprecedented lattice walls and surfaces while reducing memory demand. The approach enables the high-fidelity fabrication of microscale shell lattices with improved strength and toughness.
Fighting skin diseases with 3D bioprinting
Researchers at TU Wien developed a 3D bioprinting technique to create living biological tissue for studying skin diseases. The method offers a controlled and highly reproducible manner to produce tailor-made structures for different purposes, such as psoriasis and inflammatory models.
Extreme manufacturing enables ultra-soft, ultra-small, high-density neural implants
Researchers propose a new design approach for intracortical electrodes that can record from many neurons at once without damaging them. The authors outline various manufacturing approaches, including advanced silicon micromachining and thermal fiber drawing, to create flexible devices with low stiffness.
Vibrating tools carve custom functional surfaces with precision and flexibility
Scientists at Tsinghua University introduce a new technique to carve complex shapes on material surfaces, enabling more design freedom and efficiency in surface design. The method uses high-speed vibrations to create convex microstructures that can change how a surface interacts with its environment.
Korean researchers’ single memristor replaces both the driving transistor and storage capacitor in micro-LED
A team of Korean researchers has successfully integrated a single memristor into micro-LED pixels, replacing the traditional driving transistor and storage capacitor. This innovation enables more efficient and easier-to-build displays with improved brightness and color accuracy.
Printing with fields: Reprogramming matter at the smallest scales
Researchers explore Field-assisted Additive Manufacturing for micro/nano device fabrication, enabling targeted motion, cell growth, and flexible electronics. The technology holds promise for industries such as biomedical engineering and microrobotics.
The next industrial revolution will be printed: global experts unpack the future of additive manufacturing
Global experts discuss the future of additive manufacturing in various applications, including bioprinting living tissues and creating smart consumer products. Researchers showcase advancements in machine learning, real-time sensing, and multi-material 3D printing.
3D-printed electrolytes keep zinc batteries stable for 8000 cycles
Researchers at South China University of Technology develop a method to solve unstable anode:electrolyte interfaces using digital light processing (DLP) 3D printing. The resulting batteries retain over 91% capacity after 8,000 cycles and achieve stable cycling over 2,000 hours.
Robots that flex like US: The rise of muscle-powered machines
Researchers are developing 'biohybrid robots' that flex and move using biological tissue, offering potential applications in medicine and industry. The field is advancing through advanced fabrication methods, such as 3D bioprinting and electrospinning, which enable precise control over muscle cells.
A new post-processing route to improve tensile strength and ductility in 3d-printed alloys
A new post-processing route improves tensile strength and ductility in 3D-printed alloys by combining deep cryogenic treatment and laser shock peening. This method transforms the microscopic structure of 3D-printed metals, relieving internal stresses and enhancing mechanical resilience.
High-throughput inkless printing: Laser-generated dry aerosols enable green manufacturing of electronics
Researchers have developed Laser Ablation Dry Aerosol Printing (LADAP) that generates nanoparticles from solid targets using pulsed laser ablation, enabling the printing of metals and oxides without inks. The technique produces structures with fine-resolution microstructures and thick deposition within a high-throughput process.
Scientists use single-step laser ablation to fabricate ultra-uniform structures smaller than 50 nanometers
Researchers at Sun Yat-sen University create a new method for fabricating ultra-uniform surface structures with features as small as 46 nanometers. The technique uses a carefully tuned femtosecond laser under water immersion, overcoming the challenge of creating uniform nanostructures smaller than 100 nanometers.
Bee-sting inspired microneedles from Chung-Ang University could revolutionize drug delivery
Researchers developed wearable microneedle patches that improve drug absorption while reducing pain in long-term delivery. The new technology, inspired by bee stings, enables continuous drug release and anchors securely into the skin.
Mixing metals, maximizing performance: recent advances on additive manufacturing of heterogeneous/gradient metallic materials
Researchers are making progress in overcoming technical hurdles to create layered structures, continuous gradients, and fully three-dimensional architectures with programmable material variation. Optimized laser parameters and build sequences can enhance strength, control heat flow, and improve energy absorption.
3D-printed bone scaffolds unlock superelasticity and tunable performance
Researchers developed novel artificial bone scaffolds with high deformation recovery capabilities, exceeding those of natural bone and conventional metallic scaffolds. These scaffolds allow for flexible adjustments of properties like strength and modulus to meet specific implantation site requirements.
Bee-stinger-inspired microneedle deliver drugs, stimulate healing, and monitor wounds in real time
Researchers have created a wearable system that combines drug delivery, electrical stimulation, and continuous monitoring to treat diabetic foot ulcers. The microneedle platform anchors securely into the skin and adjusts therapy in real-time to prevent severe tissue damage.
Neuromorphic devices and machine learning combine to make brain-like devices possible
Researchers are combining machine learning algorithms with neuromorphic hardware to build brain-like devices that can learn from data and adapt in real-time. These devices have the potential to revolutionize industries such as manufacturing by enabling machines to sense their environment, adapt to new tasks, and make decisions without ...
Exploring scalable pathways for cost-effective memristors using solution-processed 2D materials
The article discusses the use of solution-processed 2D materials to fabricate memristors, offering a scalable alternative to traditional methods. Recent breakthroughs have overcome manufacturing limitations, producing larger and less-damaged nanosheets with improved device performance.
3D printers leave hidden ‘fingerprints’ that reveal part origins
Researchers developed AI system that detects 'fingerprint' from 3D printed parts, tracing origin to specific machine. This technology has major implications for supplier management and quality control.
A springtail-like jumping robot
The Harvard robot uses latch-mediated spring actuation to jump high and cover long distances relative to its size. It combines walking and jumping modes for effective navigation in natural environments.
Tiny chip, big breakthrough in spectral sensing for everyday devices
Researchers at Aalto University have developed a microscopic spectral sensor that can identify materials with unprecedented accuracy. The device achieves an extraordinary peak wavelength identification accuracy of ~0.2 nanometers, enabling it to distinguish thousands of colours.
High-quality nanomechanical resonators with built-in piezoelectricity
Nanomechanical resonators have been used to sense minuscule forces and mass changes. The new aluminum nitride resonator achieved a quality factor of over 10 million, opening doors to new possibilities in quantum sensing technologies.
Lehigh researchers pioneer customizable ceramics for next-gen technologies
Researchers at Lehigh University have pioneered a method to create customizable ceramics using solid-state synthesis, enabling advances in electronics and energy conversion. The team aims to produce functional materials with tailored geometries that can be used in thermoelectric devices and other applications.
Smart supramolecular assemblies
The researchers synthesized supramolecular polymers with the ability to form larger complexes in response to external stimuli, which may shed light on biomolecular self-assembly and other ‘smart’ materials. The resulting shape of the assemblies can be controlled based on the concentration of a specific additive.
Adding “Mussel” to META-GLUE
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh receive a $251,981 DARPA award to design more effective underwater adhesives inspired by mussels. They aim to optimize molecular-level properties for strengthened underwater infrastructure and fluidic environments.
Stacked up against the rest
Researchers at Kyoto University have developed a new method to reduce optical interference and measure the quantum coherence time of moiré excitons, which are electron-hole pairs confined in moiré interference fringes. This breakthrough enables the realization of quantum functionality in next-generation nano-semiconductors.
A tiny tattoo for a tabby
Researchers at The University of Tokyo developed a bio-tagging method using dissolvable microneedle arrays for permanent animal identification. The approach, called 'MAPs,' uses customizable molds to tattoo unique identifiers into the skin, offering a safer and more humane alternative to traditional ear tags or RFID chips.
Micro/nanoscale 4D printing revolution: Manufacturing high-resolution transformable 3D structures
Researchers introduce a game-changing technology that enables fabrication of high-resolution, transformable 3D structures at the micro/nanoscale using Two-photon polymerization-based (TTP-based) 4D printing. The technology has vast potential for applications in biomedicine, flexible electronics, soft robotics, and aerospace.
Femtosecond lasers with GHz bursts in MHz burst (BiBurst) enhances ablation speed of silicon by a factor of 23
Scientists have developed BiBurst mode, which groups femtosecond laser pulses in MHz envelopes to increase ablation speed and improve throughput. The technique achieves 23 times faster ablation of silicon without compromising quality.
Miniaturization of a thermoelectric device capable of powering IoT products
Researchers developed a thermoelectric device with an array of π junctions, generating voltages over 0.5V. The device was fabricated using semiconductor microfabrication technology, enabling precise micro-scale π junctions.
Researchers recycle CDs into flexible biosensors
Binghamton University researchers have developed a way to turn CDs into flexible biosensors that can monitor electrical activity in human hearts and muscles, as well as lactate, glucose, pH, and oxygen levels. The sensors are fabricated in 20-30 minutes without toxic chemicals or expensive equipment, costing around $1.50 per device.
Free-space light coupling using curved micromirrors
The study compares the behavior of flat (1D), cylindrical (2D) and spherical (3D) micromirrors for free-space light coupling. Silicon micromirrors were fabricated and used to experimentally validate the coupling efficiency in visible and near infrared wavelengths.
Demonstration of a highly efficient modulator using the organic electro-optic polymer for visible light
Researchers at NICT developed an organic electro-optic polymer for visible light, significantly improving efficiency and miniaturization. The new modulator has lower absorption loss and higher electro-optic coefficient in visible light compared to conventional optical modulators.
University of Houston research allows for 3D printing of 'organic electronics'
The University of Houston research team has successfully developed a method for 3D printing organic semiconductor devices using multiphoton lithography, enabling the creation of highly conductive microstructures. The technology has potential applications in emerging fields such as nanoelectronics and bioelectronics.
Separating tiny bacteria by shape: Simple techs for E. coli sorting
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology create a lab-on-a-chip that separates spherical from elongated bacteria, enabling standardized biological research and improved medical testing. The device can sort samples into sub-populations based on shape to diagnose patient health or assess environmental contamination.
Artificial cilia could someday power diagnostic devices
Cornell researchers have designed a micro-sized artificial cilial system using platinum-based components that can control the movement of fluids at a scale similar to biological cilia. The technology could enable low-cost diagnostic devices for testing blood samples, manipulating cells or assisting in microfabrication processes.
Rice ‘metalens’ could disrupt vacuum UV market
Researchers at Rice University have created a 'metalens' that transforms long-wave UV-A into a focused output of vacuum UV radiation. The technology uses nanophotonics to impart a phase shift on incoming light, redirecting it and generating VUV without the need for specialized equipment.
Cantilever? New findings are far too sensitive for that!
Researchers have developed a new generation of microcantilever technology that enables precise hydrogen sensing with low humidity cross-sensitivity. The new design integrates a microcantilever beam into an optical fiber, resulting in smaller and cheaper devices with stronger signal processing capabilities.
Ductile-regime vibration texturing: Create structural colors on brittle silicon
Researchers successfully fabricate high-aspect-ratio microstructures on silicon surfaces in the ductile regime, demonstrating structural coloration. Polychromatic images are rendered with controllable grating spacings at each pixel location.
Succeed in sensitivity increase and noise reduction of accelerometer
Researchers at Tokyo Tech and NTT Advanced Technology Corporation have developed a low noise and high sensitivity MEMS accelerometer with a mass per area increase using multi-layer gold structures. This breakthrough enables high-resolution accelerometers to detect 1 μG level input acceleration, with applications in medical technology, ...
Strengthening fragile forests of carbon nanotubes for new MEMS applications
Researchers developed a new production process called carbon nanotube templated microfabrication (CNT-M) to create stronger microstructures for MEMS applications. By replacing air spaces with a filler material, they enhanced the durability of vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.
Tough new probe developed for nanotechnologists
Scientists from Northwestern University and Argonne National Laboratory have created a new type of atomic force microscopy (AFM) probe made from ultra-nano-crystalline diamond, exhibiting properties similar to single-crystal diamond. The development enables improved durability and scalability for high-resolution imaging.