Enabling Scalable Nanoscale 3D Printing via Laser-Driven Termination

Nanoscale three-dimensional (3D) printing promises to revolutionize next-generation devices in optics and electronics, but its widespread adoption is hindered by fundamental challenges in scalability and manufacturing throughput. Meniscus-guided writing is a promising technology for fabricating 3D nanostructures, yet it suffers from a critical limitation in its termination mechanism. The conventional rapid-retraction method is effective only for low-viscosity, low-concentration inks, severely restricting printing speed and material selection. Here we overcome the bottleneck by developing a laser-driven termination method. We integrated a 405 nm focused laser co-axially with a side-view optical microscopy monitoring system to induce on-demand thermal ablation, cleanly severing the printed structures. By replacing the concentration-sensitive physical separation with a thermal process, our method decouples termination from ink rheology, a breakthrough enabling high-concentration ink (> 1.6 mg/mL) usage, unlocking printing speeds up to 1000 µm/s-a 100-fold throughput increase compared to the retraction-based process. The laser-driven approach also provides exceptional geometric freedom. We demonstrate precise, on-demand height control and the fabrication of freestanding tilted structures. The method's versatility was confirmed for a range of sizes, material systems, and substrates. Our approach provides a robust and scalable platform for the omnidirectional manufacturing of complex 3D nanostructures.