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Voxel Tuning with the MPO 100: Faster Fabrication without Compromising Quality

Voxeltuning Comparison

The world of 3D microfabrication is evolving rapidly, and Heidelberg Instruments is at the forefront of this transformation. With the introduction of the MPO 100, a cutting-edge tool for Two-Photon Polymerization (TPP), we are unlocking new possibilities in high-precision 3D printing. The most exciting feature of this system? Voxel tuning – a breakthrough technology that allows for faster fabrication of complex microstructures without compromising quality.

What is Voxel Tuning?

Voxel tuning refers to the ability to modulate the size of a voxel – the 3D pixel that forms the building blocks of a printed structure – during the fabrication process. Traditional TPP methods require many layers, using small voxel sizes to maintain precision, but this often leads to long production times. Increasing the voxel size speeds things up but can result in loss of detail or artifacts such as the staircase effect.
With voxel tuning, this trade-off is no longer necessary. The MPO 100 allows you to locally adjust the voxel size as needed, optimizing both speed and accuracy. By reducing the number of layers while maintaining fidelity, fabrication times can be drastically shortened, even up to 50 times faster for certain applications.

Voxel Tuning explained
Voxel tuning involves the local modulation of voxel dimensions during the TPP scanning process, which drastically reduces the number of layers required. The result: significantly shorter production times with consistently high quality.

Key Benefits of  Voxel Tuning with the MPO 100

  • Faster Fabrication: The MPO 100’s voxel tuning technology significantly cuts down fabrication times. Throughput can be increased by 5x to 50x, especially for flat structures.
  • Uncompromised Quality: Despite the speed increase, voxel tuning preserves structural precision, eliminating concerns about accuracy degradation in larger voxels.
  • High Resolution: The MPO 100 offers pixel resolutions ranging from 4 nm to 80 nm, enabling you to maintain detailed features and intricate designs.
  • High Modulation Rate and Gray Levels: With a max. modulation rate of 25 MHz and 32,768 gray levels, this system provides unmatched versatility for complex 3D microstructures.

How It Works

Voxel tuning is inspired by our Grayscale Lithography technology, notably used in the DWL 66+. By integrating this expertise into the MPO 100, we have created a tool capable of dynamically adjusting voxel dimensions during scanning. This results in fewer layers being required to build up a structure along the z-axis, effectively slashing production time without losing precision.
In one example, a 200 µm lens with a height of 50 µm was produced in just 80 seconds using OrmoComp® – a task that traditionally would have taken much longer with standard TPP methods.

Applications and Opportunities

The MPO 100 with voxel tuning opens up new frontiers for researchers and developers across various industries. From customized micro-optics to intricate mechanical microstructures, this tool is versatile, fast, and precise. Its multi-user design further boosts efficiency by allowing several projects to run in parallel, making it ideal for both research labs and industrial applications.

Unlock the Potential of Voxel Tuning

Heidelberg Instruments’ MPO 100 is setting a new standard in 3D microfabrication. Whether you are working on rapid prototyping, advanced optics, or other microfabrication projects, voxel tuning can help you accelerate production without sacrificing quality.

To explore how this revolutionary capability can benefit your next project, contact us today!

The Heidelberg Instruments systems and technology pool comprises high-precision Maskless Aligner (MLA) and Laser Lithography systems for Direct Writing of 2D, 2.5D and 3D microstructures to mask-making, and systems based on Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography (t-SPL) for the advanced nanopatterning. 3D laser lithography systems based on Two-Photon Polymerization (TPP) technology close the gap between conventional laser lithography – the basis of Heidelberg Instruments’ strong core business – and the Thermal Scanning Probe Lithography (t-SPL) for nanopatterning.

Maskless Lithography as the state-of-the-art, high-precision, highly flexible technology is ideal for use in both R&D as well as environments where rapid-prototyping of feature sizes greater than 1 µm are required. The maskless lithography technique enables you to transfer the design directly to the wafer without the need for a photomask.

In maskless lithography the pattern is exposed directly onto the substrate surface with the help of a spatial light modulator, or SLM, which serves as a “dynamic photomask”.

If you would like to know more, our team is on-hand to assist you with any questions you might have. Click the button below to contact us directly.

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