Surface smoothing of stereolithographically formed 3-D objects

A method for stereolithographically fabricating a structure having at least one side wall, comprising:

• submerging a base having an upper surface in liquid photopolymer material to a first depth over said upper surface;
• applying a beam of polymerization stimulating radiation to selected regions of said liquid photopolymer material over said upper surface to at least partially polymerize said liquid photopolymer material overlying said selected regions and form a first layer of at least semisolid photopolymer defining at least a portion of a side wall of a height substantially the same as said first depth on said upper surface, said first layer extending substantially parallel to said upper surface and having a greater lateral extent above said upper surface than adjacent thereto, wherein a crevice is defined between at least one side of said first layer and said upper surface and said crevice contains unpolymerized liquid photopolymer material;
• removing said base from said liquid photopolymer material, leaving a quantity of said liquid photopolymer material in said crevice;
• orienting said base to permit access to said quantity of said liquid photopolymer material by said polymerization stimulating radiation beam;
• and
• exposing said quantity of said liquid photopolymer material to polymerization stimulating radiation to at least partial polymerize at least an outer portion of said quantity of said liquid photopolymer material.