Chip-based laser folds ultra-thin glass into ultra-smooth shapes for microscopic 3D high-performance data processing and sensing optical devices

https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1095100

"3D printers produce only rough 3D structures... mimicking way pinecone’s scales bend outward releasing seeds... record 3D length-to-thickness ratio, helices, concave/ convex mirrors with <1 nm variation... micro-zoom lenses replacing 5 separate cameras in smartphones, microphotonic using light instead of electricity... <2 ms: 1 side heated with laser, glass liquifies, surface tension becomes stronger than gravity, glass pulled into fold where laser hits... bend sheets up to 10 µm thick, fine control down to 0.1 μrad"