| Abstract Scope |
Two-photon polymerization (2PP) 3D-printing enables polymer structures with sub-µm resolution. With advanced optical and chemical inhibition, resolutions and feature sizes of free-standing structures are reported below 200nm and 50nm, respectively. Post-print thermolysis of prints from specialized hybrid inks can fabricate ceramics, leveraging small dimensions to harness beneficial mechanical size-effects. During thermolysis, the ceramics contract to notably smaller size than their templates, nonetheless, reported resolutions are below the best polymer results. Hence, extreme size-effects, such as room-temperature tensile-ductility and >10 GPa strengths, typically observed at even smaller size, remain untapped. Here, we demonstrate the extreme thermolysis- contraction of 2PP-printed preforms from a hybrid organic-inorganic precursor, yielding ceramic nanostructures with sub-10 nm features and resolutions competitive with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. We present mechanical metamaterials and discuss accessible properties. Approaching the realm of focused electron beam induced deposition (FEBID) and EUV, our technique may open opportunities across disciplines. |