Focused microwaves allow 3D printers to fuse circuits onto almost anything

Rice University researchers have developed the Meta-NFS, a microwave-based device that solves a decade-old bottleneck in printed electronics by precisely curing conductive ink on delicate surfaces. The device concentrates microwave energy into zones smaller than 200 micrometers, achieving 79.5% power efficiency compared to 8.5% with conventional methods. This enables 3D printing of circuits onto living tissue, surgical implants, and other previously impossible substrates.