Mesoscale ultrafast laser 3D lithography: throughput in voxels-per-second

An approach of synchronizing linear stages and galvo-scanners in order to eliminate inherent weaknesses of each device while capitalizing on their strengths and produce millimeter-sized highly complex meso-scale structures retaining small (~μm) features is presented. We concentrate on results and discussion about the structuring rate of 3D laser lithography (3DLL), investigating the interplay between translation velocity, feature size and structuring rate. These effects are uncovered by fabricating resolution bridge structures and 1 mm length gradient chain-mail structure with ring sizes from 5 μm to 100 μm. Provided results give an insight on current state- of-the-art manufacturing throughput of 3DLL systems using scanner-stage synchronization and allow to project the technological limit of this technique.