This honor is not only a high recognition of Professor Chen’s outstanding contributions in the field of nano-manufacturing but also a powerful validation of the core technology roadmap of Astra Optics Limited.
Good News! Professor Shih-Chi Chen, Founder of Astra Optics Limited, Has Been Successfully Selected for the 2025-26 Research Grants Council (RGC) Senior Research Fellow Scheme, Awarded the Title of “RGC Senior Research Fellow”
This honor is not only a high recognition of Professor Chen’s outstanding contributions in the field of nano-manufacturing but also a powerful validation of the core technology roadmap of Astra Optics Limited.
Groundbreaking Research Project Leading the Industry Frontier
Professor Chen’s award-winning research project, “Closed-Loop High-Throughput Super-Resolution Two-Photon Lithography Technology,” directly addresses the core challenges in the field of nano-manufacturing. Fabricating arbitrary three-dimensional structures at the nanoscale has long been a long-sought goal in the field of nanotechnology. This project will systematically address three key challenges in ultra-high-resolution photopolymerization processes through two-photon lithography (TPL) technology: speed, resolution, and repeatability.
Photopolymerization, as an important technology for 3D printing, can convert liquid materials into solid states through light exposure. Professor Chen’s research will, for the first time, endow TPL technology with multiple innovative functions, including the repair and modification of optical components, thereby promoting the realization of truly large-scale applications of TPL technology. This breakthrough achievement will comprehensively surpass all current 3D printing solutions based on high-resolution photopolymerization, exerting a significant and far-reaching impact on the entire nano-manufacturing and nanotechnology industry.
Left: Professor Shih-Chi Chen
Astra Optics Limited: Translating Cutting-Edge Theory into Industrial Practice
As an innovative enterprise in the field of 3D nano-printing, Astra Optics Limited has always been committed to translating Professor Chen’s cutting-edge research results into practical applications. The two-photon technology combined with femtosecond projection technology that we adopt is precisely based on Professor Chen’s profound academic accumulation and technological innovation in super-resolution two-photon lithography.
This technology enables unprecedented nanoscale precision in the fabrication of 3D structures, possessing tremendous industrialization potential in high-end application fields such as biomedical devices, optoelectronic components, micro-electromechanical systems, and precision optical devices.
Authoritative Recognition Demonstrates Technological Value
The competition for the RGC Senior Research Fellow Scheme is extremely fierce. Professor Chen’s ability to stand out among numerous outstanding scholars fully demonstrates the originality, forward-looking nature, and significance of his research. This project will receive approximately HK$8.2 million in research funding over a period of 60 months, which not only provides strong support for continuous technological innovation but also injects powerful momentum into the future development of Astra Optics Limited.
Professor Pikyee Cecilia Sham, Vice-Chancellor of The Chinese University of Hong Kong, spoke highly of the award-winning scholars, stating that this not only affirms their outstanding research contributions but also demonstrates CUHK’s exceptional research strength in the field of science. As an important carrier of Professor Chen’s research achievements, Astra Optics Limited is honored to be a significant platform for translating this academic achievement into industrial application.
Looking Ahead: Parallel Advancement of Technological Innovation and Industrial Development
Standing at this important milestone, Astra Optics Limited will continue to deepen the integrated model of industry-academia-research collaboration under the leadership of Professor Chen. We will fully utilize this research platform to accelerate the iterative upgrading of core technologies and promote the implementation of 3D nano-printing technology in more application scenarios.
As Professor Chen’s research project advances, Astra Optics Limited is expected to achieve new breakthroughs in key indicators such as nano-manufacturing precision, production efficiency, and process stability, providing customers with even better nanoscale 3D printing solutions and contributing greater strength to the development of the entire nano-manufacturing industry.
Let us once again warmly congratulate Professor Shih-Chi Chen on receiving this esteemed honor! Astra Optics Limited will take this as a new starting point, striving to scale new heights on the path of nano-manufacturing and creating even more remarkable achievements!
