SNM: Continuous and Scalable 3D Nanoprinting

增材制造是一种强大的技术，适用于从产品可视化到制造三维（3D）工程零件和设备的各种应用。3D纳米结构和设备在许多应用中是有用的，包括能源、清洁水和医疗保健。然而，大多数增材制造或3D打印方法非常缓慢，因为它们依赖于逐层制造工艺。最近的一项突破极大地提高了增材制造的速度。这项新技术展示了以每小时数百毫米的速度连续从树脂中制造聚合物3D部件，分辨率低于100微米。整个制作过程只需几分钟，而不是几小时。这个可扩展的纳米制造（SNM）奖将开发纳米结构的快速3D打印方法，其特征分辨率为~100 nm，打印速度比任何当前的纳米打印技术都快几个数量级。该项目还将解决开发这种3D纳米打印机的许多基本和工程挑战。 预计它将产生丰富的科学和工程知识，这将推动快速3D纳米打印方法，使结构和设备具有纳米级的精度。此外，该项目将通过普渡大学的路易斯·斯托克斯少数民族参与联盟等项目扩大代表性不足的群体的参与，增加对教育的影响，并提高公众对纳米科学和纳米技术的认识。在典型的3D增材纳米打印中，激光束用于以逐点和逐层的方式涂覆光固化树脂。该奖项的主要目标是通过开发一种光抑制方法来加速聚合过程，在聚合区的正下方创建死区。在该死区中，聚合所需的光激发态被耗尽或终止，因此树脂保持在液相中用于连续印刷，而不是逐层印刷。此外，该方法可以是可扩展的，即，通过同时利用光学元件阵列，可以并行打印数百个部件。该研究将集中在新的制造方法，先进的光学系统，高精度计量工具，功能光聚合物的设计和合成，以及3D制造系统集成的调查。最后，该项目将努力开发低成本的3D纳米打印系统，使用市售的低成本光源和低成本光学和机械组件。因此，该项目将实现一种负担得起的、高吞吐量的高分辨率3D纳米打印技术。

Additive manufacturing is a powerful technique for myriad applications ranging from product visualization to making three-dimensional (3D) engineered parts and devices. 3D nanostructures and devices are useful in many applications including energy, clean water, and health care. However, most additive manufacturing or 3D printing methods are extremely slow because they rely on layer-by-layer fabrication processes. A recent breakthrough has dramatically improved the speed of additive manufacturing. This novel technique demonstrates the fabrication of polymeric 3D parts continuously out of the resin at rates of hundreds of millimeters per hour with resolutions below 100 microns. The entire fabrication takes minutes as opposed to hours. This Scalable NanoManufacturing (SNM) award will develop methods for rapid 3D printing of nanostructures, with feature resolution of ~100 nm and printing speed orders of magnitude faster than any current nanoprinting technique. The project will also address many fundamental and engineering challenges for developing this 3D nanoprinter. It is expected to generate a wealth of scientific and engineering knowledge that will advance the rapid 3D nanoprinting method of making structures and devices with nano-scale precision. In addition, the project will broaden participation of underrepresented groups through programs such as Purdue's Luis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, increase impact on education, and increase public awareness of nanoscience and nanotechnology. In typical 3D additive nanoprinting, a laser beam is used to polymerize a photo-curable resin in a point-by-point and layer-by-layer manner. The key objective of this award is to accelerate the polymerization process by developing a photoinhibition method to create a dead zone right below the polymerization zone. In this dead zone, photoexcited states needed for polymerization are depleted or terminated, hence the resin remains in liquid phase for continuous, rather than layer-by-layer printing. In addition, the method can be made scalable, i.e., hundreds of parts can be printed in parallel, by simultaneously utilizing an array of optical elements. The research will focus on investigations in novel manufacturing methods, advanced optical systems, high precision metrology tools, design and synthesis of functional photo-polymers, and 3D manufacturing system integration. Finally, the project will strive to develop low-cost 3D nanoprinting systems using commercially available low-cost light sources and low-cost optical and mechanical components. As a result, this project will realize an affordable, high throughput-high resolution 3D nanoprinting technology.