Laser assisted 3D metal microprinting (Invited)

In recent years, the demand for fabrication of 3D metal micro/nanostructures has been rapidly increased in the fields of science and engineering due to their unique physical/chemical properties and flexible configurations. Therefore, various innovative techniques for 3D metal printing at the microscale have been developed, which have attracted intensive attentions. Among those techniques, laser-based assisted 3D metal microprinting exhibits superior performance in terms of its advantages of non-contact processing, flexible patterning capability, and so on. Some of current representative techniques for laser assisted 3D metal microprinting were firstly reviewed from basic principles, technical characteristics, to typical applications. To meet the challenges on fabrication of 3D metal microstructures with high smooth surfaces, high melting points and high conductivities, a glass-microchannel molding technique for assisting 3D metal microprinting was demonstrated. Finally, possible directions and potential applications of laser-assisted 3D metal printing were discussed.