Two-photon polymerization of an Eosin Y-sensitized acrylate composite

We report two-photon polymerization of an acrylate composite using a femtosecond laser at 1028 nm. The composite consists of an acrylate monomer, a free-radical co-initiator and a photo-sensitizer. The material is transparent to infrared laser radiation and absorbs strongly in the visible. By scanning the tightly focused laser beam, we employ two-photon absorption to polymerize and selectively solidify the material. Two photo-polymerization of organic composites permits the construction of complex-shaped three-dimensional structures of sub-micron resolution. Due to their versatile optical and chemical properties and the ability to mix them with active molecules, the materials described in this work are particularly useful for a variety of applications such as photonic devices, actuators and micro-fluidic devices. In addition, as both the single photon and the two-photon wavelengths are not in the ultraviolet part of the spectrum, this technique is particularly promising for incorporation into the photo-polymer of active molecules that are sensitive to UV radiation. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.