A joint research team from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) and the Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH) has developed a groundbreaking 3D printing technology capable of creating high-density, vertical nanolasers. Published in ACS Nano, the research introduces an “ultra-fine electrohydrodynamic” printing method that allows for the precise, on-demand placement of perovskite nanostructures on semiconductor chips. This advancement is expected to solve the spatial and efficiency limitations of traditional horizontal laser architectures, providing a scalable path for high-speed optical computing and quantum cryptographic communication.
The core of this technical milestone is the ability to print freestanding, pillar-shaped nanostructures—significantly thinner than a human hair—using an attoliter-scale (10⁻¹⁸ L) droplet control system. Unlike conventional lithography, which is often complex and cost-prohibitive for specialized geometries, this additive manufacturing approach combines printing with gas-phase crystallization control. This results in near-single-crystalline perovskite structures with extremely smooth surfaces, enabling high-performance two-photon-pumped Fabry–Pérot mode lasing with a remarkably low threshold of 2.98 μJ cm⁻².
Beyond optical computing, the research team demonstrated a unique application in hardware-based security. By precisely adjusting the height of the vertical nanowires during the printing process, the researchers could tune the emission color and mode spacing of the lasers. This capability enabled the creation of multi-level anti-counterfeiting labels and security patterns that are invisible to the naked eye and can only be verified using specialized optical equipment.
Led by Professor Ji Tae Kim (KAIST) and Professor Junsuk Rho (POSTECH), the project highlights a shift toward “hardware-aware” manufacturing in the quantum sector. The ability to integrate these high-efficiency light sources directly onto existing semiconductor chips without subtractive processes (such as carving or etching) offers a simpler, more flexible route for developing microphotonic circuitries essential for secure quantum interconnects and next-generation augmented reality displays.
Read the official press release here and the full study in ACS Nano here.
January 10, 2026
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