The Institute of Physics at the University of Zielona Góra has acquired state-of-the-art equipment capable of 3D printing at the micro scale. This opens up vast possibilities in various fields that require applications invisible to the unaided eye.
As explained by Dr. hab. Krzysztof Dudek, Professor at UZ, who will lead research using the specialized device:
“From our perspective, this is a new technology based on two-photon polymerization printing. It involves polymerizing extremely small fragments of resin with a printing accuracy of up to 150 nanometers—roughly the size of a red blood cell.”
What is this technology used for? There are numerous applications, especially in microrobotics. At extremely small scales, traditional electronics—which rely on motors, gears, and standard-sized components—become ineffective. A promising alternative is metamaterials, which can be created using this precise printing technology.
More about micro-scale 3D printing using two-photon polymerization was shared during a lecture at UZ by Prof. Muamer Kadic from Université Marie et Louis Pasteur (France).
“My main area of focus is metamaterials—structures with extraordinary mechanical properties, which arise not from the material itself, but from how it is designed. These systems have wide applications across science and industry, from optics to microrobotics and electronics” he explained.
This is only the second printer of its kind in Poland—the other is at the Warsaw University of Technology. The device will support scientific research and student thesis projects at UZ. It was purchased with funding from the Polish Ministry of Science and Higher Education under the Regional Initiative of Excellence program.
