Postgraduate research opportunities Developing novel active optical 3D-printing techniques for elements in imaging and sensing.

3D-printing technology has improved significantly over the last decade, with a range of approaches created for commercially available high-quality print systems. Recently specifically digital light processing (DLP) based approaches have reached sub 20µm print resolution and have undergone a transformation from costly research grade systems to accessible consumer products costing less than £250 while incorporating open material systems. Simultaneously, methods for incorporating active nanoparticles within 3D-printed parts are being developed, focusing on nanoparticles with electrical, magnetic, chemical or optical properties. With these nanoparticles allowing for functionalisation of printed parts, a new range of approaches for 3D-printed sensors, actuators, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) or even biological cell scaffolds can be enabled. Steps to include these functionalisations also in optical 3D-printed parts are underway, which would allow the creation of a new range of adaptive optical elements with versatile integrated design size, geometry and actuation mechanisms. This would enable a range of new application directions ranging from optical imaging and microscopy approaches to in situ fabricated optical sensors.

In this PhD you will develop a new way of creating active 3D-printed optical elements, combining additive manufacturing, nanotechnology, MEMS technology and optical design. This will be combined with showcasing the approach through designing and testing a range of active optical devices in biological imaging systems and sensors, making use of the free-form potential of 3D-printing. You will receive training on all experimental aspects of the project and be guided by a supervisory team with extensive experience in additive manufacturing, active microsystems, biological imaging and microscopy, providing a great environment to develop a new research area with innovative design approaches.

The studentship will be embedded in a collaboration between the Centre for Microsystems and Photonics and the Centre for Biophotonics at the University of Strathclyde, combined with supervision and integration into an additive manufacturing team at the National Manufacturing Institute of Scotland (NMIS), which is a world-class manufacturing R & D facility, working with businesses of all sizes and sectors. This will enable access to cutting-edge 3D-printing and optical characterisation technology, as well as a vast array of potential application directions and setups.