Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a new method for printing nano-sized metal structures that is significantly faster and cheaper than existing technologies. The method, called superluminescent light projection (SLP), uses a light source that is a billion times less intense than that of femtosecond lasers, which are typically used for nanoscale printing.
SLP allows for the creation of unique structures with interesting functions, crucial for the development of many technologies, including electronic devices, solar energy conversion, sensors, and other systems. The researchers believe that their method, which is 480 times faster and 35 times cheaper than the current conventional method, could transform a scientific field long reliant on technologies that are prohibitively expensive and slow.
The researchers’ technique addresses a critical gap in nanotechnology, which has seen little advancement in materials over the last two decades. Their breakthrough has the potential to bring new technologies out of labs and into the world.