Recent advances in meniscus-on-demand three-dimensional micro- and nano-printing for electronics and photonics

Abstract

The continual demand for modern optoelectronics with a high integration degree and customized functions has increased requirements for nanofabrication methods with high resolution, freeform, and mask-free. Meniscus-on-demand three-dimensional (3D) printing is a high-resolution additive manufacturing technique that exploits the ink meniscus formed on a printer nozzle and is suitable for the fabrication of micro/nanoscale 3D architectures. This method can be used for solution-processed 3D patterning of materials at a resolution of up to 100 nm, which provides an excellent platform for fundamental scientific studies and various practical applications. This review presents recent advances in meniscus-on-demand 3D printing, together with historical perspectives and theoretical background on meniscus formation and stability. Moreover, this review highlights the capabilities of meniscus-on-demand 3D printing in terms of printable materials and potential areas of application, such as electronics and photonics.

Keywords

• 3D printing
• ink meniscus
• functional materials
• electronics
• photonics