Heavy-duty and high-performance 3D micro-optics mady by laser additive manufacturing

Laser 3D printing of high transparency and resiliency free-form micro-optics will be presented. The additive manufacturing is realized employing femtosecond laser direct write 3D nanolithography (fs-LDW or a.k.a. two-photon polymerization) combined with high temperature calcination (pyrolysis) and atomic layer deposition (ALD) techniques. The developed approach allows fabrication of various single optical elements and stacked components ranging in dimensions below 100 µm. Produced micro-optic objects are characterized of their optical performance (focusing, imaging, transparency) and determining their laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) values. This opens novel applications of laser 3D printed micro-optics under harsh conditions: radiation, temperature, acidic environments, pressure variations.