Rapid Prototyping With Nanosized Features - New Technology

Lasers have been used for many years to harden polymers into three dimensional shapes for the rapid development of prototypes. Now researchers from University College London, the University of Cambridge England and Superior Technical Institute in Portugal have discovered a way to produce rapid prototypes with features as small as 160nm.

By using a near-field light source instead of a regular laser, they are able to focus the light to a very narrow point and create patterns in the plastic. This method could be developed so rapid prototypes could be developed of nanoscale photonics devices such as wave guides for light, miniscule light sources and plastic based electronics.

Posted 27^th January 2003