Device and method for creating three-dimensional structures

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 lens to form one or a plurality of laser foci, wherein the laser source and the focusing lens 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 lens comprises a numerical aperture of greater than 0.25,
• wherein
• the focusing lens is impermeable to the material to be consolidated and configured to be arranged immersible in the material to be consolidated such that a beam exit area of the focusing lens itself is configured to form an optically defined interface with the material to be consolidated.

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 lens 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 lens is set up such that the distance between the focus range and the bath bottom is at least 0.1 mm.

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
• 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 lens 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 lens is or will be immersed into the material to be consolidated, such that an exit area of the focusing lens forms an optically defined interface with the material to be consolidated via which the laser pulse or the laser pulse sequence is introduced into the material to be consolidated.