Have you ever felt limited by the size and availability of microspheres for your optical microscopy experiments? A new method using laser-based 3D printing offers a promising solution!
Researchers describe a novel technique for fabricating high-quality microspheres for optical microscopy applications. Conventional methods for obtaining these spheres are restricted by their size and the difficulty of handling commercially available options. This innovative approach utilizes multi-photon lithography (MPL) to create spheres with near-perfect geometric precision.
MPL is a powerful 3D printing technique that employs a focused femtosecond laser to cure a photosensitive resin layer-by-layer, creating complex 3D structures. In this instance, the researchers leverage MPL to fabricate the microspheres onto a modified coverslip, forming a 3D micro-device. This ingenious design allows for seamless device integration into any standard optical microscope.
The researchers are optimistic about this technique’s potential as a cost-effective approach to enhancing the resolution of optical microscopes. The ability to create custom-designed microspheres with exceptional geometric qualities opens doors for novel applications in various optics and photonics research fields.
This innovative 3D printing method presents a significant advancement in optical microscopy. The potential for cost-effective fabrication of high-precision microspheres paves the way for exciting new possibilities in scientific exploration and discovery.
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