Advanced Micro Stereolithography with Multi UV polymers

System Development and Application to Three-dimensional Optical Waveguides

Abstract

We have developed a new type of micro stereolithography to make a microstructure with multiple UV polymers. This process provides us total-polymer-based microdevices (Polymer MEMS) by ingeniously combining various UV polymers with different characteristics: refractive index, conductivity, Young's modulus. For example, the difference in refractive index can be utilized many optical devices like optical waveguides, photonic crystals, etc. Actually we succeeded to fabricate optical waveguides with two kinds of UV polymers having different refractive indexes. The fabrication system consists of laser scanning system, roller pumps to supply UV polymers, a cylinder for the store of UV polymers. We can easily switch several UV polymers by choosing roller pumps during fabrication process. This process opened "Polymer MEMS" technology giving great contribution to micro optics and micro-chemical devices.