Despite the HN title (and while the focusing optics are similar), the structure in the article was directly milled with an ion beam (FIB), not electrons.

Looking at the end result, honestly surprised a QR code scanner could read it - other than the corner squares, the lack of pixel fidelity and strong outlines makes the code look melted or smudged

In a way the story of nanofabrication seems like a tale of disappointment. Many decades after Feynman's "Plenty of room at the bottom" or Drexler's "Engines of creation" and we have very little to show in a way of progress. What happened? Why were knowledgeable minds like Feynman too optimistic about our ability to make this happen?

Why did I see the headline and my first thought was the “Scientific Method” episode of Voyager.

That being said, I am curious what the use case is. It mentions data storage but the QR code is not really storing data (ok it is storing something obviously but not in the traditional sense).

Anyone else expecting to be rickrolled by the world's smallest QR code?

great, we can rick roll people in the next pandemic vaccines!

Ha! Reminds me of when my buddy in grad school drew a dick with CO molecules. It was, what, 40 angstrom long?

Good times.