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Updated: Jul 15, 2026

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Microfabrication of Implantable Optics Integrated in a Microstructured Imaging Window for Advanced In Vivo Imaging
Published on: April 11, 2025
Two-photon lithography for microlenses: principles and applications
Wentian Mao1,2, Hao Lei1,2, Zhen Yin1,2
1Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Semiconductor Optoelectronic Materials and Intelligent Photonic Systems, Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT), Shenzhen 518055, China. optoelectrogump@163.com.
Nanoscale
|July 14, 2026
Summary
Two-photon lithography (TPL) enables 3D micro-optics fabrication with sub-wavelength resolution. This advanced technique revolutionizes integrated photonics for applications like biomedical imaging and displays.
Area of Science:
- Photonics
- Materials Science
- Optical Engineering
Background:
- Modern photonic systems require miniaturized, high-performance micro-optics.
- Conventional planar manufacturing methods are insufficient for complex 3D microstructures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive review of two-photon lithography (TPL) for microlens fabrication.
- To explore advancements in TPL, design methodologies, and applications.
Main Methods:
- Review of two-photon lithography (TPL) for direct 3D microfabrication.
- Categorization of microlens architectures (refractive, diffractive, metalenses).
- Discussion of design methodologies (topology optimization, inverse design) and material innovations.
Main Results:
- TPL achieves true 3D direct writing with sub-wavelength resolution.
- Diverse microlens architectures and advanced design methods are enabled by TPL.
- TPL facilitates integration into biomedical imaging, optical fibers, and 3D displays.
Conclusions:
- TPL is a transformative technique for fabricating integrated micro-optics.
- It bridges optical design and manufacturing for next-generation micro-optical systems.

