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Micromachines
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Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition
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Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition

A special issue of Micromachines (ISSN 2072-666X). This special issue belongs to the section "D：Materials and Processing".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 November 2026 | Viewed by 2861

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yao Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
Interests: micromachining; laser machining; ceramic grinding; semiconductor manufacturing
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Jinjie Zhou

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Mechanical Engineering, North University of China, Taiyuan 030051, China
Interests: micro instrument and microfabrication; ultrasonic transducer; micro defect detection in industry
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In recent decades, micro/nanofabrication technologies have been widely used to prepare non-destruction testing transducers, semiconductors, special functional surfaces, and key medical interventional components. These technologies are the key factors determining the functions of micro/nanodevices and include traditional cutting/dicing, laser machining, micro-3D printing, printed circuits, chemical machining, and optical machining. We invite you to contribute recent original research papers and reviews on the micro/nanofabrication, construction, performance, and functional integration of microdevices, alongside their multiple applications. This Special Issue will collect and present recent advances in micro/nanofabrication, providing deep insights for future studies on research areas including (but not limited to) micro/nanomaterials, their processing, and related engineering applications and technologies.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Yao Liu
Prof. Dr. Jinjie Zhou
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Micromachines is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • micromachining
  • micro-3D printing
  • laser machining
  • textured surface
  • microdevice

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Related Special Issues

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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19 pages, 5925 KB  
Article
Spot on: A Laser Micromachining-Based Approach to Improve Dried Matrix Spot Preparation with Proof-of-Principle Analytical Demonstrations Using Ambient Ionization Mass Spectrometry
by Daniel O. Reddy, Malek Hassan, Jonathan O. Graham, Jared Viggers, Katherine E. Williams, Randy E. Ellis, Thomas R. Covey, Jacob T. Shelley and Richard D. Oleschuk
Micromachines 2026, 17(5), 559; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17050559 - 30 Apr 2026
Viewed by 412
Abstract
The use of dried matrix spots (DMSs) has recently re-emerged as a useful sample storage technique and analytical platform along with the increased adoption of and general preference for ambient ionization mass-spectrometric methods. However, challenges associated with precise liquid confinement and sample targeting [...] Read more.
The use of dried matrix spots (DMSs) has recently re-emerged as a useful sample storage technique and analytical platform along with the increased adoption of and general preference for ambient ionization mass-spectrometric methods. However, challenges associated with precise liquid confinement and sample targeting persist. In this paper, we present a laser micromachining-based approach to prepare DMSs on hydrophobic paper substrates that include visual recognition elements, or reticles, around surface energy traps (SETs). This targeted DMS substrate is combined with direct mass spectrometric analyses, namely liquid microjunction–surface sampling probe–mass spectrometry (LMJ-SSP-MS) and flowing atmospheric-pressure afterglow–mass spectrometry (FAPA-MS). With the laser-based micromachining approach, DMSs flanked by crosshairs for enhanced visualization are prepared on SETs as small as 0.55 mm in diameter, which offers an approximately 12-fold reduction in size compared to traditional DMS preparations. The DMSs prepared on these targeting SETs are demonstrated with the detection of caffeine in model aqueous and artificial urine solutions using LMJ-SSP-MS and FAPA-MS, respectively. With further refinement, this approach could be automated using computer vision and robotics to broaden the scope of DMSs and improve the analytical workflow. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition)
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16 pages, 4480 KB  
Article
UV-LIGA Microfabrication for 1.1 THz Staggered Double-Grating Slow-Wave Structures
by Qi Jiang, Xinghui Li, Yuanfei Hui, Pan Pan and Jinjun Feng
Micromachines 2026, 17(4), 427; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17040427 - 31 Mar 2026
Viewed by 415
Abstract
In this paper, a 1.1 THz staggered double-grating slow-wave structure (SWS) for traveling wave tubes (TWTs) is fabricated using UV-LIGA processes based on RD-2150 photoresist. The designed SWS has a wide side of 170 μm and a narrow side of 50 μm, and [...] Read more.
In this paper, a 1.1 THz staggered double-grating slow-wave structure (SWS) for traveling wave tubes (TWTs) is fabricated using UV-LIGA processes based on RD-2150 photoresist. The designed SWS has a wide side of 170 μm and a narrow side of 50 μm, and when half of the SWS is fabricated, the height of the structure is 85 μm, which is half of the wide side. The fabrication process includes lithography, electroforming, grinding, polishing, and resist removal. The top surface, bottom surface, and sidewall roughness of the as-fabricated structure were measured to be 21 nm, 20 nm, and 17 nm. The mean measured sidewall verticality of the structure was 90.1°, with a standard deviation of 0.5° obtained from four independent sampling positions. For the structure’s nominal dimensions of 85 μm in height and 50 μm in width, the achieved dimensional accuracies were ±2 μm and ±1 μm, with corresponding standard deviations of 1.05 μm and 0.59 μm, respectively, confirming excellent structural uniformity. We subsequently evaluated the impact of these dimensional deviations on the electromagnetic performance of the structure. The results indicate that the deviations had a negligible effect on the dispersion characteristics. Specifically, the linewidth deviation led to a 21% reduction in coupling impedance, while the height deviation caused a 600 V increase in the synchronous operating voltage. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition)
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16 pages, 15607 KB  
Article
Ultrathin Microlens Arrays for Dynamic Beam Shaping Based on 3D Lithography
by Ruiqi Cheng, Yue Zhang, Shuo Chen, Yu Shu, Hao Cao and Chengqun Gui
Micromachines 2026, 17(2), 250; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17020250 - 16 Feb 2026
Viewed by 560
Abstract
Conventional microlens arrays (MLAs) are often constrained by their static focal properties, which limit post-fabrication adaptability in dynamic optical systems. To address this, we demonstrate a tunable beam shaper capable of real-time spot-size modulation by introducing an adjustable axial displacement between a primary [...] Read more.
Conventional microlens arrays (MLAs) are often constrained by their static focal properties, which limit post-fabrication adaptability in dynamic optical systems. To address this, we demonstrate a tunable beam shaper capable of real-time spot-size modulation by introducing an adjustable axial displacement between a primary lens and an MLA. A critical advancement of this work is the fabrication of ultra-thin MLAs featuring an exceptionally low aspect ratio (1:187.5) and continuous surface profiles. Through optimizing 3D lithography and ion beam etching (IBE) workflows, we achieved an optical-grade surface finish with a roughness (Sa) of 3 nm. This high-fidelity, low-profile component enables efficient beam homogenization with reconfigurable working distances and spot dimensions. The proposed architecture provides a versatile and robust solution for advanced laser material processing, bridging the gap between static beam shaping and dynamic laser delivery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition)
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9 pages, 1736 KB  
Article
Tin–Lead Liquid Metal Alloy Source for Focused Ion Beams
by Bryan Flores, Shei Sia Su, Coleman Cariker, Ricardo A. Dacosta, Aaron M. Katzenmeyer, Alex A. Belianinov and Michael Titze
Micromachines 2026, 17(1), 76; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17010076 - 6 Jan 2026
Viewed by 1032
Abstract
Focused Ion Beam (FIB) systems are increasingly utilized in nanotechnology for nanostructuring, surface modification, doping, and rapid prototyping. Recently, their potential for quantum applications has been explored, leveraging FIB’s direct-write capabilities for in situ single ion implantation, which is crucial for fabricating single [...] Read more.
Focused Ion Beam (FIB) systems are increasingly utilized in nanotechnology for nanostructuring, surface modification, doping, and rapid prototyping. Recently, their potential for quantum applications has been explored, leveraging FIB’s direct-write capabilities for in situ single ion implantation, which is crucial for fabricating single photon emitters. Color centers in diamond can function as qubits and are of particular interest due to their capacity to store and transmit quantum information. While Group-IV color centers exhibit high brightness, they require low temperatures to retain coherence. However, lead-vacancy in diamond (PbV) operates at the higher end (4 K) of this temperature spectrum due to larger ground-state splitting, making them particularly interesting. In this context, our study presents results for lead (Pb)-containing alloys with eutectic points below 600 °C and results on using tantalum (Ta) and titanium (Ti) as emitter materials for a Pb liquid metal alloy ion source. We show that a standard FIB system is able to resolve the different Pb isotopes and achieve nanoscale spot sizes, as required for quantum information science applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition)
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Review

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29 pages, 17070 KB  
Review
A Review on the Research Progress of Imprint Film Materials for Nanoimprint Lithography
by Zhiwei Yang, Rui Ma, Chuangye Yao, Jinsong Song, Jingrun Li, Guangxu Cui, Haiming Li, Yuanxun Cao and Dayong Ma
Micromachines 2026, 17(5), 596; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi17050596 (registering DOI) - 13 May 2026
Abstract
Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is highly dependent on imprinted film as a pattern-transfer medium. This paper systematically reviews the research progress of imprint film materials for NIL. Firstly, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and other single-polymer films are discussed, and their [...] Read more.
Nanoimprint lithography (NIL) is highly dependent on imprinted film as a pattern-transfer medium. This paper systematically reviews the research progress of imprint film materials for NIL. Firstly, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and other single-polymer films are discussed, and their respective advantages (such as low surface energy, high optical transparency, water solubility) and inherent limitations (elastic deformation, demolding difficulties, humidity sensitivity)) are summarized. In order to overcome the above contradiction, researchers developed a composite imprint film structure, including an elastomer–rigid bilayer template and sandwich structure film, which achieved high resolution, conformal contact and facile demolding characteristics through mechanical function decoupling. At the same time, the emerging polymer/transparent electrode composite system (such as AgNWs/PVA, AgNWs/PDMS) gives the film active functions such as self-heating and antistatic ones, which effectively solves the key challenges in thermal management and electrostatic control. This paper comprehensively presents the evolution path from single-material to multi-functional composites, and provides guidance for the design of advanced imprint film for high precision, high reliability and large-scale NIL applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Micro/Nanofabrication, 3rd Edition)
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