Jörg Smolenski | Nanoscribe: Can direct-write 3D printed micro-optics scale from rapid prototyping to high-volume wafer production?
00:11:41.495 - 00:13:11.485
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Summary of the clip:
Can direct-write 3D printed micro-optics scale from rapid prototyping to high-volume wafer production?
One of the most persistent criticisms of 3D micro-printing technologies is their perceived inability to scale for mass production. However, a hybrid fabrication workflow resolves this challenge by utilizing 2PGL for rapid master prototyping and stepping up to replication technologies. For small-scale runs and custom sensor integration, direct-on-chip printing serves as a fast path to validation, but high-volume commercialization requires a clear handoff to established semiconductor tools.
To achieve wafer-scale production, Nanoscribe co-developed mastering strategies with industry partners like EV Group (EVG). The direct-printed micro-optical structures act as high-fidelity master templates. These masters are then replicated via Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) onto 8-inch or 12-inch wafers, enabling millions of micro-optical elements to be produced with silicon-compatible throughput.
While direct 3D printing remains ideal for rapidly iterating designs (such as custom prisms, TIR lenses, and micro-lens arrays directly onto micro-LEDs or fibers), NIL mastering ensures that the transition to mass production doesn't require redesigning the optical stack. This seamless scalability significantly accelerates the time-to-market for next-generation consumer displays and automotive sensors.
In this short video, you can learn:
* The scaling pathways from rapid 3D prototyping of micro-optics to high-volume wafer-scale replication.
* How direct-write masters integrate with Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL) on 8-inch and 12-inch wafers.
* The business and time-to-market benefits of utilizing a unified micro-optical design platform.
📋 **Clip Abstract** This clip outlines the commercial scaling strategy for 3D-printed micro-optics, moving from direct-on-chip prototyping to massive wafer replication. By combining Two-Photon Lithography with Nanoimprint Lithography (NIL), manufacturers can scale high-precision designs to mass production.
#TwoPhotonGrayscaleLithography, #NanoimprintLithography, #MicroOptics, #WaferScaleReplication, #MicroLEDDisplays, #ARDisplays
This is a highlight of the presentation:
Additively manufactured 3D Micro-Optics and MLA for AR/VR applications with highly transparent resin in VIS and UV
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00:02:22.825 - 00:03:55.605
Can we eliminate layer-by-layer slicing in 3D micro-optics without sacrificing surface roughness?
Can we eliminate layer-by-layer slicing in 3D micro-optics without sacrificing surface roughness?
High-precision micro-optics have historically been bottlenecked by the trade-off between surface roughness and printing throughput. Standard sub-micron 3D printing relies on ultra-fine slicing and hatching, which dramatically drives up build times to impractical levels. Nanoscribe's Two-Photon Grayscale Lithography (2PGL) overcomes this scaling limit by tuning the volume pixel (voxel) dynamically within thick layers, bypassing traditional fine-sliced layering.
By utilizing a femtosecond oscillator laser integrated with high-speed galvo mirrors and an index-matched microscope objective, the system focuses the beam directly inside the liquid photopolymer. The patented voxel tuning mechanism enables both optical-grade surface finish and high-speed volumetric output. In benchmarking tests, this hybrid printing approach achieved a speed-up factor of over 10 times compared to classical sub-micron slicing.
This technical advance bridges the gap between rapid prototyping and true micro-optical manufacturing. From freeform lenses to direct-on-chip integration, the capability to maintain sub-nanometer roughness while printing centimeters-tall structures in minutes is a significant step forward for the micro-LED, photonic integrated circuit (PIC), and consumer optics industries.
In this short video, you can learn:
* How Two-Photon Grayscale Lithography (2PGL) eliminates the need for fine-layer slicing to achieve optical quality.
* The physics behind dynamic voxel tuning and refractive index-matched resin systems.
* A 10x throughput improvement comparison against conventional 3D slicing and hatching.
📋 **Clip Abstract** This clip introduces Nanoscribe's patented Two-Photon Grayscale Lithography (2PGL) technology, which achieves ultra-smooth optical surfaces at ten times the speed of traditional sub-micron printers. By dynamically tuning the laser's exposure voxel, the technique eliminates the throughput bottlenecks typically associated with high-precision 3D printing.
#TwoPhotonGrayscaleLithography, #DynamicVoxelTuning, #3DMicroOptics, #IndexMatchedResins, #PhotonicIntegratedCircuits, #MicroLEDDisplays
00:06:52.355 - 00:08:54.295
How do you engineer a 3D-printable optical resin with 98% UV-Vis transparency across multiple scale dimensions?
How do you engineer a 3D-printable optical resin with 98% UV-Vis transparency across multiple scale dimensions?
Material constraints have long plagued the adoption of 3D micro-optics in UV-A and deep blue applications, as typical photopolymers suffer from yellowing or high absorption under 450 nanometers. To solve this, Nanoscribe developed IPX Clear, a specialized optical resin that maintains high transmission from the ultraviolet through the visible spectrum. The material boasts a transmission value of over 98% above 450 nm and remains above 95% down to 350 nm, facilitating high-efficiency micro-LED light extraction.
From a physical perspective, the resin is optical-grade with an Abbe number of 42 and a refractive index of approximately 1.44 to 1.57 depending on the target wavelength. Crucially, the formulation is refractive-index-matched to the numerical aperture (NA) of the system's microscope objectives. This design maintains wave-front integrity during two-photon polymerization, preventing beam distortion during deep-write exposures.
Moreover, the resin supports multi-scale processing. Engineers can use the same material to print robust mechanical alignments or macro-scale lens mounts first, and then transition seamlessly to printing sub-micron micro-optical arrays. This dual-use capability simplifies the fabrication of complex, integrated optical-mechanical assemblies on a single substrate.
In this short video, you can learn:
* Key optical properties of the IPX Clear resin, including its 98% UV-Vis transmittance and dispersion characteristics.
* Why refractive index matching between the resin and system objective is critical for sub-micron resolution.
* How multi-scale materials allow engineers to print both structural mounts and nanoscale lenses in a single step.
📋 **Clip Abstract** The speaker introduces IPX Clear, a highly transparent optical resin designed for two-photon 3D printing in the ultraviolet and visible spectrums. The material addresses a critical industry need for low-absorption, multi-scale polymers that can bridge structural and sub-micron optical functions.
#TwoPhotonPolymerization, #IPXClear, #MicroOptics, #OpticalResin, #MicroLED, #ARDisplays