3D printing is well established for macro dimension 3D Printing. The feasibility of 3D Printing for a water quality sensor with 10 nm and 100 nm layers and a printing area of 1.4 cm by 1.4 cm is considered. The process of 3D Printing requires relative motion of the extruder with respect to the print bed. Servo motors are not suitable as they lack the ability to hold the shaft stationary without an external brake. The stepper motor does not need high end feedback systems for positioning. The Hybrid Stepper Motors with 1/128 or 1/256 micro stepping do not provide adequate accuracy. Piezo walk motors provide high moving and holding force and resolution in picometer range. A Hybrid Stepper Motor can provide coarse positioning and the piezo walk motor can provide fine positioning.

Scopus preview - Scopus - Document details - Design of a Stepper Motor for Nano Resolution 3D Printing

https://www.scopus.com/record/display.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85013422156&origin=inward&txGid=b57f96f53001e9544f6c3b8e9a7c5855