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Continuous Vat Photopolymerization for Optical Lens Fabrication
Han Xu1,2, Shuai Chen1,3, Renzhi Hu1,3
1Center for Advanced Manufacturing, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90007, USA.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|May 28, 2023
Summary
A novel 3D printing method uses continuous projection to create high-precision optical lenses. This advanced vat photopolymerization achieves nanoscale surface roughness and microscale accuracy without post-processing, enabling complex optical component fabrication.
Area of Science:
- Optics and Materials Science
- Advanced Manufacturing Technologies
Background:
- Traditional 3D printing methods struggle to meet the high resolution and surface finish requirements for optical lenses.
- Existing techniques often necessitate complex post-processing steps, increasing fabrication time and cost.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel continuous projection-based vat photopolymerization process for direct fabrication of optical lenses.
- To achieve microscale dimensional accuracy and nanoscale surface roughness without post-processing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized frustum layer stacking, deviating from conventional 2.5D layer stacking, to eliminate staircase aliasing.
- Employed a zooming-focused projection system for continuous mask image changes, enabling controlled frustum layer stacking with adjustable slant angles.
- Systematically investigated dynamic control of image size, distances, and light intensity in the zooming-focused continuous vat photopolymerization process.
Main Results:
- Successfully fabricated optical lenses with microscale dimensional accuracy (< 14.7 µm) and nanoscale surface roughness (< 20 nm).
- Achieved a surface roughness of 3.4 nm on various 3D-printed optical lenses, including parabolic and fisheye designs, without post-processing.
- Demonstrated the dimensional accuracy and optical performance of printed compound parabolic concentrators and fisheye lenses.
Conclusions:
- The developed continuous projection-based vat photopolymerization process enables rapid and precise 3D printing of optical lenses.
- This novel manufacturing approach offers a promising solution for fabricating advanced optical components and devices with high fidelity.
