Reshaping 3D microfabrication

Quantum X shape is part of the industry-proven platform Quantum X and advances highest precision wafer-scale microfabrication. The two-photon lithography system can process silica substrates and silicon wafers up to 6”. Processing standard wafer and different substrate types is of great importance for post-processing steps and for the integration into existing industrial manufacturing process lines.

In contrast to most Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP) systems, Quantum X shape prints in an upright position. In combination with the proprietary photoresin dispenser, exact dosing of the printing material is guaranteed throughout the entire printing process and even on large areas.

As a result, up to 200 typical high-precision structures can be printed overnight on a fully addressable print field of 50 x 50 mm².

The galvo system of the Quantum X shape has an optimized operation range and enlarges the print field with 1,750 µm towards its physical limits. This optimized and calibrated print field is crucial for stitching-free printing of mesoscale objects at highest speed rates. In addition, smart system algorithms control the galvo system by accelerating and decelerating the galvo mirrors in sharp corners and edges. At the same time, the laser power is adapted to the scan speed and ensures a constant exposure dose of each volume during the printing process. This is the only way to ultimately achieve optimum printing speed with highest precision and maximum accuracy. Complementarily explained with a simple example: The galvanometer control unit is like a racing car that accelerates and brakes on a curvy race track on an ideal trajectory and drives at highest speed on straight passages.

To learn more about high-resolution 3D printing, read our whitepaper about additive manufacturing based on Two-Photon Polymerization. Login or register for free.

Our whitepaper offers deeper insights into the performance of various high-resolution 3D printing technologies. You can find it in the premium section on our website. Login or register for free.

The metric for print speed refers to the rate in voxels printed per second and is an indicator of how digital information is converted into solidified material. The 2PP system Quantum X shape features an extremely high speed of 1 million voxels per second.

The plot shown here compares Two-Photon Polymerization (2PP) to common additive manufacturing technologies in terms of printing rates and feature sizes. Measured by the absolute volume printing rate of 2PP, the serial process seems to lag behind the speed of other technologies. However, the technology features a high voxel printing rate compared to the finest voxel sizes it resolves.

Quantum X shape is designed for rapid prototyping and wafer-scale 3D printing on the nano-, micro-, and mesoscale. Different, well-matched print sets consisting of objective lenses, suitable resins and well-tuned print parameter presets ensure to cover this wide range of different scales. The software-based print parameter presets include slicing and hatching, laser power and galvo settings and are therefore optimal starting points. There are four different print sets available:

• The Small Features Print Set features a 63x objective and is designed for highest precision with submicron feature sizes.
• The Medium Features Print Set is specially tailored to the high-speed fabrication of microscale parts. Typical structures, such as microlenses with a size of several hundreds of micrometers and a surface roughness (R_a) of less than 5 nanometers become possible.  
• The Large Features Print Set extends the benefits of high-resolution 3D printing to mesoscale structures with precision in the micrometer range.
• The Extra Large Features Print Set expands the high-resolution 3D printing range from nano- and microscale structures to millimeter- and centimeter-sized objects.

Dip-in Laser Lithography (DiLL) is the standard printing configuration of Quantum X shape. Nanoscribe invented this technology for 3D microfabrication with the highest precision and the lowest aberration on the market. In this configuration, the objective lens is immersed in the photoresin, which also serves as an optical immersion medium. The refractive index matching between the focusing optics and the print material guarantees ideal, aberration-free focusing with the highest resolution in 2PP-based 3D printing. Furthermore, the writing laser is not focused through the substrate (e.g. oil immersion configuration), but writes the print object directly onto the substrate. Consequently, the working distance of the focusing optics does not limit the height of the 3D-printed object, which is especially beneficial for printing macroscale objects.

Quantum X shape’s advanced interface finder includes two complementary modes for reflection and fluorescence detection of the substrate surface. In combination with the Dip-in Laser Lithography (DiLL) configuration, a wide range of reflective (e.g. silicon wafers), transparent and opaque substrates (e.g. glass and polymer substrates) can be used. In addition, the DiLL configuration enables to print on standard substrates such as microscope slides and wafer formats from 1” to 6”. Nanoscribe’s substrate holders guarantee a precise fixation of the continuously growing range of substrates during the printing process.

Quantum X shape is the ideal tool for high-speed 3D microfabrication of objects with submicron feature sizes, surface roughness profiles of 5 nm and less and nanoprecision. This highest precision in 3D printing can only be exploited to the maximum by taking some precautions with regard to the microfabrication system itself and the installation site. Quantum X shape should have its fixed place in a room with stable room temperature and humidity. The direct laser writing system comes with a heavy granite base to reduce the influence of vibrations and temperature fluctuations of the environment. Nevertheless, it is important to install the high-resolution 3D printer in a location that minimizes external vibrations. For the handling of the UV-sensitive photoresin outside the two-photon lithography system, we recommend to equip the room with yellow light and to meet basic requirements of a chemistry lab to handle organic solvents for the print development process properly.

If you would like to get an idea of how the Quantum X shape work environment can look like, contact us and visit our Microfabrication Experience Center here at Nanoscribe or book your online tour.

The advanced autofocus system reliably finds the interface of almost any substrate with maximum accuracy and repeatable print results. Three live-view cameras facilitate process control and monitoring. An automatic dispenser applies the correct amount of photoresin onto the substrate, reducing workload and enabling remote operation. To simplify switching between hardware configurations, the Quantum X shape automatically detects the printheads and substrate holders. Quantum X shape software controls and monitors print jobs in real time and supports intuitive operation through an interactive touchscreen control panel, or remotely from the office via the remote access software nanoConnectX. This remote access also simplifies the work of entire user groups, e.g. members of a research group or a department, with a single or multiple direct laser writing systems, each of them accessing the Quantum X shape from their own computer.

Quantum X shape is an open system with regard to printing materials and thus equally suited for the use of custom or third-party materials. However, Nanoscribe offers a product line of liquid negative-tone resins that are specially designed for Two-Photon Polymerization based 3D printing. These application-specific and ready-to-use printable materials provide submicrometer resolution as well as excellent shape accuracy and stability. With the polymer-based IP Photoresins, demanding applications such as submicron structures, complex 3D architectures, optical-quality surfaces, soft and elastic elements, high-speed mesoscale fabrication, or biocompatible microparts become possible. GP-Silica, an inorganic fused silica nanocomposite and part of the unique Glass Printing Explorer Set, is made for innovative direct 3D printing of glass microstructures.

Learn more about our IP Photoresins or GP-Silica and their potential for tomorrow’s applications.