Laser-induced forward transfer: progress and future directions

Laser-Induced Forward Transfer (LIFT) has matured over three decades into a versatile direct-write technique for micro/nanofabrication and bioprinting. Initially applied to metallic thin films, it now encompasses polymers, dielectrics, biomolecules, and living cells, enabling applications in electronics, photonics, biosensing, and tissue engineering. This talk will highlight recent advances in scalable printing and additive manufacturing, with emphasis on LIFT’s unique non-contact advantages for next-generation biofabrication. We will also explore emerging directions, including hybrid additive–subtractive strategies, machine learning–driven optimization, and novel applications in flexible electronics, micro-optics, and organ-on-chip systems, underscoring LIFT’s role as a key enabling technology for future innovation.