3D-Printed Particle Revolution

Scientists have developed a groundbreaking 3D printing technique called Fused Injection Modeling (FIM) to fabricate plastic scintillator detectors used in high-energy particle physics. This method drastically reduces the time and cost of producing large-scale detectors like the SuperFGD used in the T2K neutrino experiment. Their first 3D-printed prototype, the SuperCube, successfully tracked cosmic particles, marking a milestone for additive manufacturing in physics. The new process enables the creation of optically isolated scintillating voxels in monolithic blocks—essential for building the next generation of massive, high-resolution particle detectors. With automation, this innovation could scale detectors to tens of millions of voxels, accelerating discoveries in neutrino science and beyond.