New 3D fabrication technique ‘could aid manufacturing’

The design of bio-inspired periodic multi-scale structures could be aided by the creation of a new 3D fabrication technique.

Researchers from China's Changchun University of Science and Technology have developed a novel method for the rapid and maskless fabrication of bio-inspired hierarchical structures using a technique called laser interference lithography.

By harnessing the interference pattern of three and four-beam lasers, it has been possible to create ordered multi-scale surface structures on silicon substrates, with patterns adjusted by making tweaks to the parameters of the incident light.

This could allow for large-area, low-cost and high-volume 3D fabrication of micro and nanostructures, aiding the future creation of optical or medical devices such as solar cells, antireflective coatings, self-cleaning and antibacterial surfaces, and long-lasting artificial hip joints.

Work will now be carried out to see whether surface structures with controllable wettability, adhesion and reflectivity properties can be created using this technique.

Zuobin Wang, a professor at the International Research Centre for Nano Handling and Manufacturing of China at the Changchun University of Science and Technology, said: "Compared with other patterning technologies, our method is simple and efficient in terms of obtaining bio-inspired hierarchical structures."