UC Santa Barbara Receives $1.15M NSF Grant for Advanced 3D Nanoprinting

The grant, led by Professor Galan Moody, will equip UCSB's Nanofabrication Facility with a state-of-the-art rapid nanoprinting system. Unlike traditional layered additive manufacturing, this two-photon photolithography (2PP) technology allows for the creation of complex, true three-dimensional structures with genuine depth, unconstrained by flat planes. This capability moves beyond the limitations of conventional nanoscale lithography, which typically produces two-dimensional features.

This advanced system addresses a critical gap in rapid prototyping for complex 3D nanoscale geometries. While nanoscale lithography services exist commercially, they often lack the throughput for quick iteration of intricate designs. UCSB will join a select group of U.S. universities with access to such high-resolution, rapid 3D nanoprinting tools. The equipment is intended for a diverse range of research applications across multiple disciplines.

Researchers at UCSB will leverage the new system for various projects. Electrical and computer engineering professor Galan Moody plans to develop photonic chip designs for quantum entanglement distribution. Physicist Andrew Jayich will use it to create 3D ion traps for optical clocks, a structure too complex for current off-campus vendors to fabricate quickly. Bioengineering professor Marley Dewey will print patterned biomaterial scaffolds for skeletal repair and coral regeneration.

Further applications include microfluidic channels on chips for therapeutic implants, developed by chemical engineer Sumita Pennathur, and nano-SQUIDs for advanced material characterization by physicist Andrea Young. Beyond research, the grant emphasizes workforce development, with training programs designed to involve community college students and prepare them for jobs in the micro and nanotechnology sector, potentially without requiring advanced degrees.