Multimaterial Manufacture Through Combining Optical Tweezers with Multiphoton Fabrication

M. Askari, C. J. Tuck, Q. Hu, R. J. M. Hague and R. D. Wildman

Multi-Photon Polymerization (MPP) is a technique used to fabricate complex micro-scale 3D structures using ultra-short laser pulses. Typically, MPP is used to manufacture micron-scale components in photopolymer materials. However, the development of micron scale processes that can produce components from multiple materials within a single manufacturing step would be advantageous. This would allow the inclusion of particles that are manipulated and embedded within structures with sub-micron feature sizes. To achieve this, an MPP system was combined with an optical trapping (OT) setup in order to independently manipulate microparticles in the x, y and z planes. Particles were transported into the fabrication site using the OT and encapsulated using the MPP laser. Here it is shown that combining the OT capabilities with an additive manufacturing technique enables the production of complex multi-material artifacts.

DOI

Optical Trap Assisted Nanopatterning: Process Parallelization and Dynamic Structure Generation

Johannes Strauss, Marcus Baum, Ilya Alexeev, Michael Schmidt

In this publication we present a novel setup for the Optical Trap Assisted Nanopatterning
(OTAN) technology. The setup allows process parallelization and thus higher throughput in this inventive and flexible direct-nanopatterning technology. We have determined the stiffness of the optical traps and compared the obtained result with the single beam OTAN parameters. Furthermore we estimate the increase in throughput for the parallelized approach in comparison to the conventional system.

DOI

Application of Gaussian Optical Tweezers for Ultrafast Laser Assisted Direct–write Nanostructuring

Ulf QUENTIN, Karl-Heinz LEITZ, Ilya ALEXEEV, Michael SCHMIDT

The minimal size of optically generated structures is always affected by diffraction. This fundamental limitation does not allow laser radiation to be focussed much smaller than half of its wavelength and therefore it also limits minimal feature sizes of laser produced structures. In nearfield optics, however, the diffraction limit does not apply, which in principal allows for tighter
focussing. In this contribution, a flexible approach for direct-write nanostructuring is presented. Dielectric micro-particles are positioned by Gaussian optical tweezers and irradiated by ultrafast laser pulses. The particles focus the pulses and enable surface structuring.

DOI