Innovative 3D-Printing Technology Creates Glass Microstructures With Rays of Light
Phoenix666 writes:
Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley have developed a new way to 3D-print glass microstructures that is faster and produces objects with higher optical quality, design flexibility, and strength, according to a new study published in the journal Science.
The CAL [computed axial lithography] process is fundamentally different from today's industrial 3D-printing manufacturing processes, which build up objects from thin layers of material. This technique can be time-intensive and result in rough surface texture. CAL, however, 3D-prints the entire object simultaneously. Researchers use a laser to project patterns of light into a rotating volume of light-sensitive material, building up a 3D light dose that then solidifies in the desired shape. The layer-less nature of the CAL process enables smooth surfaces and complex geometries.
The researchers have achieved a resolution of 20m.
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