Imagine having a portable 3D printer that fits in the palm of your hand, capable of swiftly creating customized, low-cost objects on the fly—a solution for repairing a wobbly bicycle wheel or crafting critical medical components. This vision took a significant stride toward reality as researchers from MIT and the University of Texas at Austin unveiled the first chip-based 3D printer.
Their proof-of-concept device features a single, millimeter-scale photonic chip emitting reconfigurable light beams into a reservoir of resin, which solidifies upon exposure to light. Unlike conventional printers, this prototype has no moving parts; instead, it relies on an array of miniature optical antennas to steer light beams. By combining silicon photonics and photochemistry, the interdisciplinary team achieved a chip capable of projecting 3D patterns, including the iconic letters M-I-T, within seconds.
The long-term vision involves embedding a photonic chip at the bottom of a resin well, projecting a 3D hologram of visible light to rapidly cure entire objects in one step. This portable printer could find applications in medical device customization and rapid prototyping on job sites, fundamentally redefining the concept of 3D printing.
Senior author Jelena Notaros describes the system as a revolutionary departure from traditional 3D printers, envisioning exciting new applications and a transformative impact on the field. The research, led by EECS graduate student Sabrina Corsetti and published in *Light: Science & Applications*, represents a convergence of silicon photonics and visible-light-curable resins, culminating in a groundbreaking technology poised to reshape the 3D printing landscape.
