When it comes to printing, size isn’t everything! Researchers at ETH Zurich have succeeded in printing the world’s smallest inkjet picture. The picture, which shows clownfish frolicking by a sea anemone, is so small that it has to be viewed through a microscope. The whole picture could fit on a cross section of a human hair! Officials from the Guinness Book of World Records have confirmed that the picture is the world’s smallest.
How Was It Done?
The process used to print the world’s smallest picture relies on the precision placing of nanoparticles known as Quantum Dots. Quantum Dots have the peculiar quality of their colour being relative to their size. Dot size can be manipulated so they emit different colours from which a picture can be built up. Blue (small) Green (medium) and Red (large) dots were painted 500 nanometers apart.
The Future of This Technology
As far as printing is concerned, the world’s smallest picture is a clever gimmick. However, the applications of the process used are more likely to be seen in the world of moving media. Television pixels work with the same three colours as were used to create the world’s smallest picture. In the ever-evolving competition to find the most sharply defined image, expect Quantum Dot technology to play its part. It will not be long before television manufacturers start advertising the Quantum Dot features that make the quality of their pictures so much sharper than that of their rivals.
If you want something printed (at a size visible to the human eye!) we can offer competitive prices on a large range of printed products, none of which you will need a microscope to view. See our website for details or call us on 01603 488001 for a quote.
