Two-Photon Polymerization: Functionalized Microstructures, Micro-Resonators, and Bio-Scaffolds

Abstract

The direct laser writing technique based on two-photon polymerization (TPP) has evolved considerably over the past two decades. Its remarkable characteristics, such as 3D capability, sub-diffraction resolution, material flexibility, and gentle processing conditions, have made it suitable for several applications in photonics and biosciences. In this review, we present an overview of the progress of TPP towards the fabrication of functionalized microstructures, whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonators, and microenvironments for culturing microorganisms. We also describe the key physical-chemical fundamentals underlying the technique, the typical experimental setups, and the different materials employed for TPP.

Keywords

• direct laser writing
• ultrashort laser pulses
• two-photon polymerization
• functional microdevices
• whispering gallery mode microresonators
• scaffolds for biological applications