IQS nano has successfully presented its pioneering 3D nanoprinting technology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), one of the world’s most prestigious technical universities.

On 8 October 2025, the MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories hosted a lecture entitled “Printing Where It Matters: Embedding Two-Photon Microfabrication into Applied and Research Workflows“. The presentation was delivered by Milan Matějka, a founding member of IQS nano and a long-standing specialist in microfabrication technologies from the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Brno.

From research to a manufacturing technology

Two-photon polymerisation (2PP) technology enables the ultra-precise additive manufacturing of 3D micro- and nanostructures with sub-micrometre resolution. As Milan Matějka emphasised in his presentation, while additive manufacturing has long served engineers primarily for prototyping and proof of concept, 2PP technology is now entering applied fields as a fully fledged manufacturing technology.

The next-generation system presented was developed in collaboration with the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences in Brno and offers engineers a solution not only for development needs but also as a manufacturing tool for series production.

The IQnano3D technology

The IQnano3D system from IQS nano achieves extreme printing speeds while maintaining an exceptional writing-point resolution of up to 150 nm across all axes. Its key competitive advantage is the proprietary NanoSweep™ technology, which combines fast, inertia-free beam deflection using an acousto-optic deflector with mechanical stage movement. This hybrid technology enables smooth, brush-like laser movements across individual layers, significantly reducing printing time while maintaining nanometre precision.

The company has more than a decade of experience with both main laser modes – from first-generation systems with a wavelength of 780 nm (red laser) through to the current IQnano3D system operating at 515 nm (green laser).

A broad range of applications

IQS nano’s technology finds use across a number of key fields:

• Optics and photonics – manufacturing of complex optical microstructures
• Synthetic holography – anti-counterfeiting protection
• Precision engineering – manufacturing of functional microcomponents
• Biomedicine – 3D scaffolds for tissue engineering, biocompatible structures
• Hierarchical metamaterials – advanced materials with unique properties

The company’s application centre is equipped for the production of master moulds, rapid prototyping and scalable production – from small batches through to high-volume manufacturing on the scale of millions of metres, including tools and technologies for 2D and 2.5D mass replication.

A Czech success on the international stage

The presentation at MIT represents significant recognition of Czech nanotechnology expertise and confirms that Czech science and innovation can compete at the highest level in the world. IQS nano has a long-standing record of collaboration with leading academic institutions and has been developing electron lithography and laser lithography technologies for more than 25 years.

Milan Matějka has been active in the development and application of microfabrication technologies for more than two decades. As a founding member of IQS nano, he has led the development of two-photon 3D microfabrication technologies and has made a significant contribution to their progress from laboratory systems to industrial applications.

About IQS nano

IQS nano is part of the IQS Group holding, which supplies international markets with innovative products and technologies in the fields of anti-counterfeiting protection, nanostructured optics, 3D printing and medical applications. The company develops lithographic and 3D nanoprinting technologies together with designs for the relevant applications. The company is based in Lelekovice near Brno and works closely with the Institute of Scientific Instruments of the Czech Academy of Sciences.

IQS Group is a member of the Czech Nanotechnology Industries Association and is a prominent representative of the Czech nanotechnology sector with a global reach.

Media content sources:

Photo: Milan Matějka (LinkedIn)  Video: MIT Microsystems Technology Laboratories