Recently, Professor Chen Shiqi, founder of NanoTech Co., Ltd., has been awarded the “BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Award 2024” in the field of Advanced Manufacturing, in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the field of nanoscale 3D printing technology, and was awarded a prize of HKD 2 million to commend his remarkable scientific research achievements. This honor is not only the highest recognition of Professor Chen’s personal scientific research accomplishments, but also highlights NanoTech’s leading position in cutting-edge technology research and development.
Revolutionary Nanoprinting Technology Opens a New Era
As a professor in the Department of Mechanical and Automation Engineering at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Professor Chen Shiqi has brought breakthrough developments in the field of 3D micro/nano manufacturing. He innovatively developed an advanced technology that parallelizes the 3D printing process through spatial and temporal focusing as well as digital holography, achieving an astonishing printing speed of 466 cubic millimeters per hour, with precision reaching 20 to 100 nanometers, while significantly increasing production and reducing costs by 95%.
This technology breaks through the limitations of traditional 3D printing. It can not only be applied to a wide range of common materials such as metals, alloys, semiconductors, ceramics, polymers, and biomaterials, but also enables materials to self-assemble after printing without affecting precision. These are precisely the foundation of NanoTech’s core technologies and the key to our company’s continuous leadership in industry development.
Broad Application Prospects Leading Industrial Transformation
The technology developed by Professor Chen provides the possibility for large-scale production of functional micro/nano structures, including mechanical and optical metamaterials, micro-optics, biological scaffolds, electrochemical interfaces, and flexible electronics. As an important platform for technology implementation, NanoTech is committed to transforming these cutting-edge technologies into practical applications, creating significant value in fields such as electric transportation, healthcare, clean energy and water, computing, and telecommunications, and providing strong technical support for industrial upgrading and social progress.
High Praise from CUHK Vice President
Image source: Wen Wei Po
Regarding Professor Chen’s receiving of the award, Professor Sham Mai Har, Vice President (Research) of CUHK, stated: “Professor Chen Shiqi has brought revolutionary changes to the field of 3D printing technology. The brand-new nanoscale 3D printer he invented can be applied to different materials, and its printing speed and precision are even more unprecedented. I look forward to Professor Chen continuing to break through the boundaries of innovation and bringing research results to benefit society.”
Outstanding Academic Achievements Widely Recognized Internationally
As the founder and technological leader of NanoTech, Professor Chen Shiqi’s research fields cover nanomanufacturing, ultrafast laser applications, biophotonics, and precision engineering. His outstanding achievements have been recognized by numerous international awards, including the R&D 100 Awards in 2013 and 2018, the 2023 Falling Walls Science Breakthrough Award in Germany, the 2023 Top Ten Optical Advances in China, the Gold Medal at the 2022 Geneva International Exhibition of Inventions, and the Gold Medal at the 2023 Middle East International Exhibition of Inventions.
Professor Chen is currently a Fellow of Optica (formerly OSA), SPIE, ASME, and HKIE, and a member of the Hong Kong Young Academy of Sciences (YASHK), enjoying a high reputation in the international academic and industrial communities.
About Astra Optics
Astra Optics Limited is a high-tech enterprise focused on the research, development, and application of nanoscale 3D printing technology, founded by Professor Chen Shiqi. The company is committed to transforming cutting-edge scientific research results into industrial applications, providing customers with high-precision, high-efficiency, and low-cost micro/nano manufacturing solutions, and empowering technological innovation and upgrading across multiple strategic emerging industries.
Professor Chen’s receipt of the BOCHK Science and Technology Innovation Award this time is not only a recognition of his personal scientific research achievements, but will also further enhance Astra Optics Limited’s technological strength and market competitiveness, injecting strong momentum into the company’s next stage of development.
We will take this as an opportunity, under the leadership of Professor Chen, to continuously increase efforts in technological innovation, accelerate the industrialization process of scientific research results, create greater value for customers, and contribute more strength to the development of the industry!
