Development of three-dimensional microfabrication method using thermo-sensitive resin

We have developed a three-dimensional microfabrication method using thermo-sensitive resin. This method exploits the fact that polymerization of thermo-sensitive resins does not obey the law of linear superposition. Three-dimensional (3D) objects are created inside the thermo-sensitive resin by 3D scanning of the volume with a focused laser. Fabrication with the focus of the laser inside the resin can achieve good accuracy and high resolution of the structure. A fabrication system, which consisted of a CD-R pick-up laser and an XYZ stage, was built. Nonlinear polymerizations of the thermo-sensitive resin were verified by fabrication in various conditions of laser intensity and exposure time. In order to demonstrate the present method, a simple 3D microstructure was fabricated inside the resin.