Electron beam processing of organic ice for low-toxicity submicrometer additive manufacturing

• DOI: 10.1016/j.addma.2024.104114
• Publication Date: 2024-04-05T23:21:15Z
• Authors: Affan K. Waafi; Bingdong Chang; Joachim Lyngholm-...; Rubaiyet.I. Haque; Anpan Han
• Keywords: Low toxic materials; Two-photon lithography; Ice lithography; 3D printing; Electron microscope

Two-photon lithography enables powerful nanoscale 3D printing. Unfortunately, it uses toxic photopolymers. We report a layer-by-layer digital process using condensed organic vapor thin films as the starting material. The focused electron beam to chemically cross-link low-toxicity ice ito solid and shares software CAD databases with industrial Guided by electron-matter-interaction simulations, we control cross-linking thickness between 250 nm 2 µm. prints contained up 500 layers, voxel size is about 550-nm. In addition more sustainable materials, our complements two-photon in three areas; (i) compatible chemistry beyond photopolymers, (ii) can print delicate suspended structures tubes because are not immersed liquid resins that reside cavities destroy interfacial forces, (iii) free-hanging printed without sacrificial supports. Nanophotonics microfluidics applications demonstrated.