SUTD Innovates with Glass Structures Reflecting Nearly 100% of Light
Singapore, Tuesday, 24 June 2025.
Singapore University of Technology and Design pioneers nearly full reflectivity in glass through nano 3D printing, opening new possibilities in photonics for devices like wearable optics and sensors.
Revolutionizing Photonics with Near-Perfect Reflectivity
The Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) has made a significant breakthrough in the field of photonics with its newly developed glass structure, which achieves nearly 100% light reflectivity. This development utilizes nano 3D printing techniques to design photonic crystals (PhCs) with a diamond-like structure that reflects almost all incident light, even across various viewing angles. The achievement challenges the long-standing perception that low-refractive-index materials, like silica, are optically weak. This new glass structure, termed ‘Glass-Nano’, incorporates a photocurable resin made from silicon-containing molecules, marking a departure from traditional silica-based methods [1][2][3].
Advanced Nano 3D Printing Techniques
The Glass-Nano structures are created using a ‘print-and-shrink’ method, involving two-photon lithography followed by sintering at 650 degrees Celsius. This process allows for the fabrication of precise and smooth nanostructures with features as small as 260 nanometers. The structural integrity is maintained despite significant shrinkage during the printing process, leading to highly uniform and stable glass formations. This innovation is particularly potent in addressing the historical limitations of low-index materials in photonics, ensuring they perform comparably to high-index materials when manufactured with precision [1][2][3].
Broader Applications and Implications
The implications of this breakthrough are extensive. Photonic crystals with such high reflectivity can be integrated into various high-tech applications, including wearable optics, energy-efficient displays, and advanced sensors. This innovation not only expands the functionalities of glass in technology but also sets the stage for more energy-efficient photonic devices that could revolutionize consumer electronic products and optoelectronic systems. Plans to further develop hybrid resins with light-emitting properties and explore rapid production techniques are underway, which could open even more avenues for the practical use of this technology [1][2][3].
Innovators and Insights
The project is spearheaded by Professor Joel Yang and his team at SUTD. Wang Zhang, a postdoctoral researcher at SUTD, highlighted how these findings exceeded traditional expectations for low-index materials, demonstrating that with adequate structural control and precision, they can perform as well as their high-index counterparts. The research outcomes were published on June 20, 2025, in Science Advances, cementing their contribution to the field of photonics and establishing a new benchmark for glass-based technologies in optical applications [1][2][3].