Making tiny glass parts? Try printing them

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory have demonstrated a way to print tiny glass components into a desired shape using a technique called “aerosol jet printing.” The method could help make complex lenses and other components for optical systems, devices that guide light, microfluidic systems that handle small amounts of liquid, and packaging used in optical and photonic technologies. 

Why this matters: As devices get smaller and designs become more complex, making the glass pieces inside them becomes increasingly difficult. 
 
Context: 

• Fabricating something out of glass will generally start with a larger piece and cutting, grinding or polishing it into the needed shape. 
• Instead of carving a tiny component out of a larger piece of glass, the Los Alamos method puts glass only where it is needed. This gives designers more freedom to create small or complex glass features difficult to make using conventional methods.

How aerosol jet printing works:

• Tiny glass particles are mixed into a liquid.
• The mixture is turned into a fine mist, or aerosol.
• A printer directs that aerosol through a tiny nozzle, placing the glass material exactly where it is needed.
• The material is built up layer by layer and then heated and the particles are sintered together into a solid piece of glass. 

Technology status: Los Alamos researchers have demonstrated the process by printing continuous glass features on flat surfaces. The technology is disclosed under “Glass components fabricated via aerosol jet printing” (LANL Reference ID S-167756).

Licensing opportunities: The Richard P. Feynman Center for Innovation works with industry partners to transition Los Alamos technologies into the marketplace. To learn more, contact licensing@lanl.gov. 
 
AI tools were used to develop this content with human oversight and review. 

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