Microlithography is a very widely used technique for the production of micro-scale devices such as very tiny 3D printing in micrometer scale, semiconductor devices, and many other micro-scale products. French microlithography specialist Microlight3D has 3D printed the world’s smallest version of the Statue of Liberty for the inauguration of US President, Joe Biden.
The 3D printed statue is 1.8mm tall and 0.6mm wide. It is printed with the company’s latest Long-range Z process and the statue was directly printed on a 1 cent coin which shows that the printing technology is compatible with a variety of printing substrates, notably metallic and opaque substrates. Using this process, higher resolution can be achieved than the traditional red laser systems. The Long-range Z process allows structures for optical micro-parts, meta-materials, and medical devices up to 10mm high using photolithography, up from 0.3mm previously, on a variety of substrates from glass and silicon to metal [1].
Users will also be able to make alignments on a pre-existing pattern and print exactly where they want. We had great fun positioning the replica of the statue on the word ‘Liberty’ on a United States one-cent coin,” said Philippe Paliard, co-founder of Microlight3D.
He further added:
Researchers and industrial developers are looking to work on metallic or silicon wafers. Our enhanced 3Dmicroprinting system, compatible with a wide range of materials and substrates, will allow them to micro-fabricate the structures they couldn’t before, to align the laser and print on the tip of optical fibers for micro-optics applications.
The Long-range Z process uses two-photon polymerization which allows the creators to print a solid 3D-printed structure from a photoactivable material.
Read more: 1.8MM HIGH 3D PRINTED STATUE OF LIBERTY FROM MICROLIGHT3D
