Device and method for producing three-dimensional structures

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device as well as a method for creating three-dimensional structures consisting of a material to be consolidated, in particular a material containing organopolysiloxane, by way of locally selective consolidation of the latter as a result of light-induced organic cross-linking. The device is characterized by a movable focusing optical system for the formation of one or a plurality of laser foci, wherein either the laser beam of a laser source can be introduced into the material to be consolidated through the material container and a movable carrier unit is arranged in said container or the focusing optical system is immersed into the material bath and the laser beams can be introduced into the material to be consolidated via a beam exit area of the focusing optical system. In the method, a focusing optical system that is movable in at least one plane is used for the formation of at least one laser focus, and a movable carrier unit is positioned in the material to be consolidated in one embodiment.

1 . A device for creating three-dimensional structures consisting of a material to be consolidated, in particular a material containing organopolysiloxane, by way of locally selective consolidation of the latter as a result of light-induced organic cross-linkage, comprising
 a laser source,   a movable focusing optical system to form one or a plurality of laser foci and   a material container for the material to be consolidated, wherein the laser source and the focusing optical system are formed to create laser pulses or laser pulse sequences which trigger a two- or multiphoton polymerization of the material to be consolidated in their focal point, and wherein the focusing optical system comprises a numerical aperture of greater than 0.25 and is set up such that the distance between the focus range and the bath bottom is at least 0.1 mm,   wherein the material container consists at least partially of a material that is permeable for the used laser beam and is or can be arranged in the beam path in such a way that the laser beam can be introduced into the material to be consolidated through the material container, wherein the material container acts as an optically defined interface and wherein   a carrier unit is arranged in the material container which can be positioned relative to the latter.   
     
     
         2 . A device for creating three-dimensional structures consisting of a material to be consolidated, in particular a material containing organopolysiloxane, by way of locally selective consolidation of the latter as a result of light-induced organic cross-linkage, comprising
 a laser source,   a movable focusing optical system to form one or a plurality of laser foci and   a material container for the material to be consolidated, wherein the laser source and the focusing optical system are formed for creating laser pulses or laser pulse sequences, which trigger a two- or multiphoton polymerization of the material to be consolidated in their focal point, and wherein the focusing optical system comprises a numerical aperture of greater than 0.25, wherein   the focusing optical system is impermeable to the material to be consolidated and arranged immersible in the material to be consolidated in the material container such that a beam exit area of the focusing optical system itself forms the optically defined interface.   
     
     
         3 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the focusing optical system is movable at least in the horizontal (X-Y) plane. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that the working distance between the object lens of the focusing optical system ( 3 ) and the associated laser focus is between 0.1 and 100 mm. 
     
     
         6 . A device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises a lens for the three-dimensional splitting of the laser beam and for the creation of at least two laser foci or intensity maximums arranged at a three-dimensional distance from each other. 
     
     
         7 . (canceled) 
     
     
         8 . A device according to  claim 7 , additionally comprising an optical detection system characterized in that the detection system comprises a light source as well as an electronic registration system. 
     
     
         9 . A device according to  claim 8 , characterized in that the detection system at least partially detects the topography of the carrier unit and is connected with a control system used to register surface points potentially deviating from the target value in such a way that they are selected in an optically correct manner. 
     
     
         10 . A device according to  claim 1 , additionally comprising a dispenser system for the in situ deposition of the material to be consolidated. 
     
     
         11 . A method for creating three-dimensional structures consisting of a material to be consolidated, in particular material containing organopolysiloxane, by way of locally selective consolidation of the latter as a result of light-induced organic cross-linking based on laser radiation,
 wherein the material to be consolidated is or will be arranged in a material container, the material container is permeable for the used laser at least in some areas,   a laser pulse or a laser pulse sequence is positioned through the material container into the material to be consolidated onto at least one laser focus by means of a movable focusing optical system having a numerical aperture of greater than 0.25 in such a way that the material container forms an optically defined interface via which the laser is introduced into the material to be consolidated, wherein the laser pulse or the laser pulse sequence triggers a two- or multiphoton polymerization of the material to be consolidated in its focal point such that consolidation conditions are only achieved in the immediate vicinity of at least one laser focus due to the intensity present there, such that one volume element of the material to be consolidated is consolidated per focus for the duration of the laser pulse or the laser pulse sequence,   characterized in that a carrier unit is positioned in the material to be consolidated relative to at least one laser focus, that the material to be consolidated accumulates on the carrier unit or on consolidated material that has already accumulated on the carrier unit during the consolidation, wherein the carrier unit is positionable relative to the material container, wherein the focusing optical system is set up such that the distance between the focus range and the bath bottom is at least 0.1 mm.   
     
     
         12 . A method for creating three-dimensional structures consisting of a material to be consolidated, in particular material containing organopolysiloxane, by way of locally selective consolidation of the latter as a result of light-induced organic cross-linking based on laser radiation,
 wherein the material to be consolidated is or will be arranged in a material container, a laser pulse or a laser pulse sequence is positioned into at least one laser focus in the material to be consolidated via a movable focusing optical system having a numerical aperture of greater than 0.25, wherein the laser pulse or the laser pulse sequence triggers a two- or multiphoton polymerization of the material to be consolidated in its focal point such that consolidation conditions are only achieved in the immediate vicinity of at least one laser focus due to the intensity present there, such that one volume element of the material to be consolidated is consolidated per focus for the duration of the laser pulse or the laser pulse sequence,   characterized in that the focusing optical system is or will be immersed into the material to be consolidated in the material container, such that an exit area of the focusing optical system forms an optically defined interface via which the laser pulse or the laser pulse sequence is introduced into the material to be consolidated.   
     
     
         13 . A method according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the focusing optical system can be moved at least in the horizontal (X-Y) plane. 
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claims 11 , characterized in that a laser beam is split into at least two sub-beams and/or that at least two laser foci or intensity maximums arranged three-dimensionally apart from each other are created. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the material to be consolidated is added to the material container in situ via a dispenser system. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 11 , characterized in that the carrier unit is a carrier web which is unreeled from a roll, pulled in one direction (X-direction) through the material to be consolidated in the material container and wound up again after the removal of subsequently created three-dimensional structures, wherein the pulling motion occurs discontinuously or continuously. 
     
     
         17 . A device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the focusing optical system is movable at least in the horizontal (X-Y) plane. 
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 17 , characterized in that the focusing optical system is movable in all three directions in space (X, Y, Z). 
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the working distance between the object lens of the focusing optical system ( 3 ) and the associated laser focus is between 1 and 10 mm. 
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that the device comprises a lens for the three-dimensional splitting of the laser beam and for the creation of at least two laser foci or intensity maximums arranged at a three-dimensional distance from each other. 
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 2 , additionally comprising an optical detection system characterized in that the detection system comprises a light source as well as an electronic registration system. 
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that the detection system at least partially detects the topography of the carrier unit and is connected with a control system used to register surface points potentially deviating from the target value in such a way that they are selected in an optically correct manner. 
     
     
         23 . A method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the focusing optical system can be moved at least in the horizontal (X-Y) plane. 
     
     
         24 . A method according to  claim 23 , characterized in that the immersed focusing optical system can be moved in all three directions of space (X, Y, Z). 
     
     
         25 . A method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that a laser beam is split into at least two sub-beams and/or that at least two laser foci or intensity maximums arranged three-dimensionally apart from each other are created. 
     
     
         26 . A method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the material to be consolidated is added to the material container in situ via a dispenser system. 
     
     
         27 . A method according to  claim 12 , characterized in that the carrier unit is a carrier web which is unreeled from a roll, pulled in one direction (X-direction) through the material to be consolidated in the material container and wound up again after the removal of subsequently created three-dimensional structures, wherein the pulling motion occurs discontinuously or continuously.