Hybrid Micro-stereo-lithography by Means of Aerosol Jet Printing Technology

We have developed an advanced micro-stereo-lithography process combined with single photon polymerization and aerosol jet printing technology to facilitate layer based photo-polymerized structuring by layer on a non-flat surface, which is not possible by conventional macro-or micro-stereolithography. The aerosolized photo-sensitive polymer retains its photo-curable characteristics (compared with its original liquid state). The photo-polymerization using UV laser irradiation achieved 6 m in the horizontal resolution, while aerosol jet printing technology achieved 0.6 m in the vertical resolution, individually. By means of this process we successfully produced 2D and 3D structures, and a straight-line photo-polymerized structure was produced on a non-flat surface.