EAGER: Multiphoton Polymerization with Optical Trap Assisted Nanopatterning

这一早期概念探索性研究(EARGER)奖提供资金，用于开发一种创新的3D添加剂制造工艺，能够生产出具有纳米分辨率的均匀金属和聚合物特征，用于光学、光子学、生物材料和其他领域的应用。在这里，我们建议将最近开发的光学陷阱辅助纳米刻蚀方法提供的图案化分辨率和比例优势与超快多光子聚合处理的3D添加能力相结合。然而，为了实现这一目标，有必要对这些进程有更深入的了解，并证明这种综合办法的可行性。为此，这项建议将侧重于从实验和数值上探讨有关超快激光处理和聚合物前体溶液与光学捕获微球的兼容性以及在微球附近聚合前体溶液而不受污染或再沉积的能力等基本问题。数值研究将包括对光在液体溶液和聚苯乙烯微球中传播的时域有限差分模拟。然而，实验将同时使用激光加工过程中的原位成像和非原位表征来识别材料的响应。如果这项研究成功，这项研究将对许多需要多尺度和多功能三维结构来提升功能的不同应用领域产生深远的影响，如在光子材料、光电子学、微流体、组织工程等领域。通过出版物和国际演讲在这些领域的广泛传播将确保研究人员从我们的研究中获得广泛的好处。但也许更重要的是，这项研究的成功将为通过传统工具获得资金以进一步开发这种潜在的变革性材料处理方法提供必要的可行性证明。最后，我们设想这项研究将成为普林斯顿大学和德国埃尔兰根-纽伦堡大学高级光学技术学院(UEN-SAOT)研究人员之间基于3-D激光制造的国际合作的种子。为此，已拨出资金支持前往UEN-SAOT的旅行，在那里，私人投资机构将帮助培训其他研究人员和学生了解这项正在开发的技术。

This EArly-concept Grant for Exploratory Research (EAGER) award provides funding to develop an innovative 3-D additive manufacturing process capable of producing uniform metal and polymer features with nanometer resolution for applications in optics, photonics, biomaterials and other areas. Here, we propose to combine the patterning resolution and scaling benefits provided by the recently developed optical trap assisted nanopatterning method with the 3-D additive capabilities of ultrafast multiphoton polymerization processing. However in order to achieve this goal, it is necessary to attain a deeper understanding of these processes and demonstrate the feasibility of such a combined approach. To this end, this proposal will focus on experimentally and numerically probing fundamental proof?]of?]principle questions related to the compatibility of ultrafast laser processing and polymer precursor solutions with optically trapped microspheres, and the ability to polymerize precursor solutions in the vicinity of microspheres without contamination or redeposition. Numerical studies will include finite difference time domain simulations for optical propagation through the liquid solution and polystyrene microspheres. Whereas, experiments will use both in situ imaging during laser processing and ex situ characterization to identify the material response.If successful, this research will have a profound impact on a number of diverse application areas where multiscale and multifunctional 3-D architectures are needed to advance functionality, such as in photonic materials, optoelectronics, microfluidics, tissue engineering, etc. Broad dissemination in these areas through publications and international presentations will ensure researchers gain widespread benefit from our studies. But perhaps more importantly, the success of this research will provide a demonstration of feasibility that is necessary to secure funding through traditional vehicles in order to further develop this potentially transformative materials processing approach. Finally, we envision this research as a seed for an international collaboration between researchers at Princeton and University of Erlangen-Nurenberg, School of Advanced Optical Technologies (UEN-SAOT) in Germany for 3-D laser based manufacturing. To this end, funds have been allocated to support the travel to UEN-SAOT where the PIs will help train other researchers and students in this developing technology.