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3D Laser Lithography / Direct Laser Writing

Our technique to structure photosensitive materials in three dimensions is called 'direct laser writing' based on the following principle. Let's assume you take a laser operating at a wavelength where the exposed photo-resist would usually be completely transparent due to the non-existence of one-photon absorption processes. In this case the chemical property of the photosensitive material can not be altered unless one focusses ultrashort laser pulses hard into the material. By that the likeliness of multi-photon absorption, in most cases two-photon absorption, is strongly increased in the very focal volume. Hence, a chemical modification of this area occurs, which in a subsequent baking process leads to a local polymerisation (in the case of using the photoresist SU-8).

By scanning the photoresist relative to the fixed focal position one can write arbitrary 3D structures into the photosensitive material (e.g. IP Resists, SU-8, Ormocere, PDMS, chalcogenide glasses). Furthermore, these 3D structures can act as templates for replication (positive-positive) or inversion (positive-negative) processes into other materials (e.g. silica, silicon).