Opportunity:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), operated by the Lawrence Livermore National Security (LLNS), LLC under contract no. DE-AC52-07NA27344 (Contract 44) with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), is offering the opportunity to enter into a collaboration to further develop and commercialize its Dual-Wavelength, Two-Photon Printing for High Resolution, Multi-Material 3D Structure Manufacturing.

Background:

Two photon polymerization (2PP) is a direct laser writing 3D printing method capable of printing submicron features with high accuracy. It uses a high numerical aperture objective to focus femtosecond lasers pulses into a diffraction-limited spot, where two-photon polymerization is activated inside a spatially confined voxel. High resolution 3D printing is achieved by scanning this voxel in space. Typically, 2PP relies on free radical polymerization triggered by photoinitiation. However, the ability to use multiple wavelength laser pulses to achieve orthogonal multi material chemistry and enhance resolution via advanced beam shaping has yet to be achieved.

Description:

LLNL inventors have developed a new multi-wavelength laser scanning system for use in two-photon printing. By integrating multiple laser beams with various choices of wavelengths, the invention provides a new pathway to fabricating a multi-material 3D structure in a single vat process while achieving increased printing resolution beyond diffraction limit. The technology uses multiple femtosecond laser beams with different wavelengths coaxially aligned through a dichromic mirror to produce spatially overlapped voxels at the image plane of the high refractive index objective lens. A substrate moves in three-axis relative to the voxels by an integrated three-axis motorized linear stage enabling augmented large scale 3D printing by either stitching or simultaneous motion control of a galvo mirror scanner and linear stages. The invented dual wavelength 2PP printing system can provide multi-material printing by two distinct wavelengths that can independently control disparate photo chemistries.

Advantages/Benefits: 

1. Multi-wavelength laser scanning systems allows for multi-material printing by two distinct wavelengths that can independently control disparate photo chemistries.
2. The multi wavelength scanning system can enhance the resolution of a printed structure by advanced beam shaping that controls the size, shape, and relative locations of voxels at different wavelengths.
3. A new printing configuration combined with a long working distance objective lens allows the printing of tall structures close to the working distance of the objective lens enabling cm scale structures to be printed.

Potential Applications: 

This invention can enable the fabrication of multi material 3D structures with small feature sizes and large sample dimensions, which can be used, for example, for NIF capsule printing, battery, fuel cell, or electrolyzer electrodes, photonic or phononic crystals, mechanical metamaterials, microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), integrated circuit chips, quantum information processors, and microfluidic devices.

Development Status: 

Current stage of technology development: TRL ☐ 0-2     ☒ 3-5     ☐ 5-9

LLNL has filed for patent protection on this invention.

LLNL is seeking industry partners with a demonstrated ability to bring such inventions to the market. Moving critical technology beyond the Laboratory to the commercial world helps our licensees gain a competitive edge in the marketplace. All licensing activities are conducted under policies relating to the strict nondisclosure of company proprietary information. 

Please visit the IPO website at https://ipo.llnl.gov/resources for more information on working with LLNL and the industrial partnering and technology transfer process.

Note:  THIS IS NOT A PROCUREMENT.  Companies interested in commercializing LLNL's Dual-Wavelength, Two-Photon Printing for High Resolution, Multi-Material 3D Structure Manufacturing should provide an electronic OR written statement of interest, which includes the following:

1. Company Name and address.
2. The name, address, and telephone number of a point of contact.
3. A description of corporate expertise and/or facilities relevant to commercializing this technology.

Please provide a complete electronic OR written statement to ensure consideration of your interest in LLNL's Dual-Wavelength, Two-Photon Printing for High Resolution, Multi-Material 3D Structure Manufacturing.

The subject heading in an email response should include the Notice ID and/or the title of LLNL’s Technology/Business Opportunity and directed to the Primary and Secondary Point of Contacts listed below.

Written responses should be directed to:

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Innovation and Partnerships Office

P.O. Box 808, L-779

Livermore, CA  94551-0808

Attention: IL-13990